Dr Alice Ackermann OSCEConflict Prevention Centre Vienna INTRODUCTORY

Dr. Alice Ackermann OSCE/Conflict Prevention Centre, Vienna

INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS

The OSCE is. . . o A regional security arrangement o broad membership - 56 participating States o norms and value-based organization o comprehensive and co-operative Security - three dimensions of security o political decisions, not legally binding o consensus - equal sovereign states o extensive field presence - 19 operations in 17 countries

56 participating States… …from Vancouver to Vladivostok 4

OSCE Field Activities Office in Minsk Project Co-ordinator RUS in Uzbekistan The Conflict in the Area FI SD mission NW roject Co-ordinator in Ukraine ES DK LI UK NL BL B F PL D L SK A I P TAD UZB BH TKM GEO E SER Zagreb Bosnia and Herzegovina Montenegro KGZ RO SL CR Georgia MO H Astan a KAZ UKR CZ CH Bishke k Dealt by the OSCE Minsk Conference LV IR Vienna Other OSCE Field ACTIVITIES MISSIONS IS BUL AZ AR MON ALB TUR Yereva n GRE Baku Ashgaba d Dushanbe Moldova Revised July 2006 Kosovo Albania Skopje Serbia The boundaries and names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the OSCE

Major OSCE Focus o One of the major focus of the OSCE is: §early warning §conflict prevention §crisis management §post-conflict rehabilitation

• Addressing the conflict cycle Early warning Post-conflict rehabilitation Conflict prevention Crisis management

ADDRESSING A WIDE-RANGE OF POLITICAL AND SECURITYRELATED CONCERNS • • • • Arms Control Confidence-building Measures Human Rights National Minorities Democratization Rule of Law Civil Society Development Border Management and Security Anti-Trafficking Police Training Tolerance Building Counter-Terrorism Economic and Environmental Issues

Types of Crisis/Conflict Situations Addressed by OSCE • Political Crises • Protracted Conflicts • Crisis Situations in the context of postconflict reconstruction • Other security challenges (e. g. violent extremism; trafficking)

A Unique Toolbox for Crisis/Conflict Management o Long-standing history of crisis/conflict management activities o Structures and Mechanisms o Political Dialogue and Good Offices (Ci. O, Personal/Special Envoys, SG, D/CPC; Permanent Council) o Support for political negotiations o Institutions (e. g. HCNM; RFOM; ODIHR; OSCE Parliamentary Assembly) o Field Operations o Special body of “Existing OSCE Mechanisms and Procedures “ o Co-operation with other Actors

Co-operation with the European Union o OSCE-EU co-operation well- developed—”natural born partners” (Solana) o Almost half of OSCE participating States are EU members o EU covers more than 70% of OSCE’s core budget o OSCE and EU share well-established and extensive mechanisms for cooperation o HQ level-Staff meetings; o Ambassadorial and Ministerial EU-OSCE Troika meetings; o Field level: European Commission delegations; EU Special Representatives; co-operation on project level activities; o ENP: continues to provide opportunity to bring EU-OSCE closer together in a number of regions (Eastern Europe and Southern Caucasus)

The OSCE’s Perspective on ENP and its Crisis Management/Conflict Management Capabilities

ENP as Efficient Tool for Conflict Management from OSCE Perspective o In general, from OSCE perspective ENP functions as efficient tool for conflict/crisis management as well as conflict prevention o In particular, ENP seen as a much needed tool that complements existing OSCE efforts o Complementarities: o ENP is complementary to the OSCE’s broader efforts in addressing all three dimensions of security o ENP focus is similar to that of the OSCE: stability, promoting and supporting longterm reform processes, addressing security-related problems o o o Democratization and consolidation of democratic gains Rule of Law Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms Economic Development and Reforms Enhancing Border management and security Fighting illicit trafficking (drugs, human beings) o Complementarity takes place mostly on level of OSCE field presences ENP provides a link between OSCE-EU on field level

ENP Commitment to Support Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts o From OSCE perspective, ENP commitment to support peaceful resolution of conflicts important o ENP Action Plans for Armenia and for Moldova, for example, entail support to the settlement and peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the Transniestria conflicts o ENP allows EU to increase its political support to OSCE-established and OSCE-led conflict settlement frameworks (e. g. Minsk Group and the 5+2) o ENP can provide a potential economic boost and might be used as an important leverage/carrot for advancements in negotiations o ENP can contribute also to the people-to-people level to the peaceful resolution of conflicts (e. g. 2007 visit of a delegation of Armenian and Azerbaijan intellectuals to each others capitals)

Recognizing and Managing the Limitations o ENP is excellent example for the enhancement of EU-OSCE cooperation o There are some limits as to ENP’s crisis management efforts o ENP focuses on long-term reform o ENP allows for less engagement in immediate crisis management o ENP allows for less engagement in managing re-occurring crisis situations o OSCE-EU face similar limitations when it comes to resolve crisis and conflict situations, particularly in the case of protracted conflicts-> Need for political will on part of political leaders o Prevention, management, and resolution of crisis and conflict situations need to be viewed from a long-term view—not processes that yield instant results but require sustained commitment