Osmani: OSCE should produce results in difficult times, Ukraine remains top priority
Skopje, 12 January 2023 (MIA) – The military aggression against Ukraine keeps showing its ugly face. Peace has been shattered. People keep dying and suffering. Our mutual trust has been heavily undermined, yet I’m confident that our hopes for a better future for our Organization remain high. It’s about them, it’s about people, Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani said Thursday presenting the programme of the 2023 Chairpersonship of North Macedonia in Vienna.
Congratulating Poland on its last year’s OSCE chairpersonship, Osmani said OSCE should produce results in difficult times as it has the duty and capacity to protect the interests of the people.
In his speech he begged the question: “Do we have a strong and univocal political will to overcome challenges because of peace, stability and wellbeing?”
“The answer to this question should come from all 57 participating states; one participating state during its mandate at the helm of this organization cannot answer it,” Osmani said noting that the plan in 2023 is to revive this spirit.
Despite all the difficulties, he said, our Organization has proven its potential. “We have to give additional support to OSCE to respond to its task, which requires quick passage of the single budget of the organization.
Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Helsinki Final Act, Osmani stated, history will remember us by our deeds, not by our promises, views and statements, which is why we need to turn words into deeds in order to provide OSCE’s functionality.
“Ukraine remains our main priority. The aggression must stop. The killing and the perishing of civilians is unacceptable. The consequences and the price from this war for the OSCE region and beyond is unbearable,” stressed North Macedonia’s chief of diplomacy.
According to Osmani, regional instability and the potential for new conflicts require the Organization’s undivided attention.
Referring to the Chairpersonship programme, he said it will focus on providing support for a functioning and flexible OSCE, offering a various set of tools that would help renew peace and security, prevent conflicts and promote cooperation across the OSCE region; promoting security of people by providing support for sustainable economic growth and environmental cooperation and enabling respect of the basic human rights and promotion of tolerance and non-discrimination as preconditions for overall security.
OSCE has proven results from its actions in various regions, said the Minister. “I’m speaking from the experience of our country. As a country hosting an OSCE field mission, our country can firsthand witness the benefits of OSCE field presence. I’m confident that other hosting countries of OSCE field missions share the same opinion. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the priority of our chairpersonship with the Organization is focusing in people,” Osmani stated.
North Macedonia, Osmani pledged, will strengthen OSCE’s activity on the ground, will make efforts to improve the coordination and joint holding of the activities as a precondition for positive changes.
“Now more than ever, we need our Organization. I support the views shared in Lodz and I join your calls to support OSCE and its values. This motivation will help us lead this organization throughout the year,” said the new OSCE chair-in-office.
Speaking before the OSCE Permanent Council, Osmani presented the plan for the establishment of the post Special Envoy of the Chairman-in-Office for Civil Society. He also mentioned the intention to invite Finland to join the OSCE Troika as long as a solution is found for the future OSCE chairmanship holder in 2024.
“North Macedonia stands ready to assume its part of the responsibility having in mind that it is a privilege to hold the chairpersonship of this Organization. On this road, our achievements and failures will also be yours. The difficult times we live in require wisdom, responsibility of our actions and commitment to the principles of the Helsinki Final Act. It will be our Code of Values and Behavior,” concluded Minister Osmani.
