UKRAINE INVASION: OSCE – Parliamentarians debate ways to increase support for peace in Ukraine
UKRAINE INVASION: OSCE – Parliamentarians debate ways to increase support for peace in Ukraine
Syndicated by GEO´ PRWire – Gibraltar
Parliamentarians, the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) and international partners must do everything in their power to support peace and security in Ukraine, participants said at an online meeting today organized by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Held as part of the OSCE PA’s Call for Action – Helsinki +50 initiative and moderated by OSCE PA High-Level Expert Lamberto Zannier, the meeting focused on the role of the OSCE in addressing the war in Ukraine and its consequences, and featured the participation of high-level OSCE officials and dozens of OSCE parliamentarians.
Participants discussed ways to end Russia’s aggression, including by increasing the political will by all parties to utilize the OSCE’s toolbox for de-escalation, facilitate negotiations, and promote a peaceful solution.
Parliamentarians debate ways to increase OSCE’s support for peace in Ukraine
“Genuine political will by all parties is necessary to fully exploit OSCE tools and to achieve real progress,” said OSCE PA President Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden). “This compels us, parliamentarians, to also use all our influence on our governments to make full use of the OSCE as a unique platform to detect, prevent, and defuse tensions among our participating States.”
In his opening remarks, OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella argued that the invasion of Ukraine should not be considered a failure of the OSCE, which had done what it could within its mandate to monitor on the ground the developments with the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission and issue an early warning by its Secretary General. A platform for dialogue can only be successful, he said, if all participating States participate in dialogue in good faith and in fully respect of the values and commitments they have freely agreed to when the Helsinki Final Act was signed. Learn More/…
.jpg)
About OSCE
The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis. Learn More/…
Image Credit: Rhododendrites – Under CC
