SPAIN: U.S. and Russia at odds over Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) reform

The United States reiterated on Thursday (November 29), and this time before a plenary session of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), that it would block what it called Russian attempts to weaken the election monitoring powers of Europe's main human rights and security watchdog before Russian elections. U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns told the meeting in Madrid that his country was let down by the Russian reform draft. "In that regard the United States is disappointed that Russia and a few other countries around this table have made a proposal that would crippled ODHIR's (the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) ability to monitor elections in other countries. The United States will oppose this proposal we will not agree to any proposal or compromise proposal that would undermine the core purpose of ODHIR - to provide an objective monitoring of all member states' elections. We don't believe that any participating OSCE state should have anything to fear or hide from ODHIR in its technical expertise for election monitoring," Burns said. Burns said a Russian proposal to reform the OSCE's ODIHR election monitoring arm would render it ineffective. United Kingdom's State Minister for Europe Jim Murphy said that all member states should support ODHIR's job. "We hope that all participating states would honour their commitments and enable ODHIR to observe upcoming elections in full accordance of OSCE commitments and stabilised practices - including by enabling long-term observation if ODHIR judges that to be appropriate," Murphy said. The proposal comes after ODIHR pulled out of monitoring Russia's parliamentary elections on Dec. 2, when Russia imposed conditions it was unable to accept. Burns rejected accusations by Russian President Vladimir Putin that the United States was plotting to undermine the Russian elections and that Washington had advised ODIHR to withdraw. Putin had told the West not to poke their "snotty noses" in Russia. Burns said that support by Kazakhstan, as well as some other former Soviet republics, for the Russian proposal on ODIHR did not favour the Kazakh bid to occupy the chair of the OSCE in 2009. In a keynote speech earlier this year, Putin accused the United States of seeking to dictate its will to the world. In response to Burns' statements, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Washington of threatening the future of the OSCE by rejecting reform of its election monitoring arm. "The position (of the United States) is above all not constructive. In any talks, to not want to move even a millimetre, indicates an unwillingness to agree. And unfortunately this is not the first time we've seen such actions. It does not hold much hope for the future of the OSCE," Lavrov told Russian media adding that Russia would remain committed to its obligations and would invite observers from ODIHR to presidential polls on March 2, when Putin's successor will be elected. Russia opposes U.S. plans to deploy elements of its missile defence system in Europe, tackle Iran's nuclear programme and accept independence for Serbia's breakaway province of Kosovo. On Wednesday (November 28), Putin made clear this course will not change. On Kosovo's future, Burns said the U.S. did not want to speculate on potential scenarios until knowing what the UN has to say after December "We should commit to continue the OSCE activities in Kosovo, no matter what the outcome of the current troika-inspired talks under United Nations mandate to find a solution between the Serb authorities and the Kosovo-Albanian leadership. What the OSCE has been doing in Kosovo is extremely valuable for everyone because the OSCE is protecting the rights of people belonging to minority groups," Burns told OSCE participants. Diplomats said a more straightforward issue on which the meeting should be able to reach agreement is on providing training and help for Afghanistan to patrol its borders effectively.

ITN Source | November 30, 2007

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