The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control and respect for human rights, press freedom and fair elections. The organization has 550 employees at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, and 2,300 employees in the field. The OSCE was founded by the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), held in Helsinki, Finland, in 1975.

The OSCE is involved in early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict reconstruction of countries. The 57 OSCE participating countries are located in Europe, Asia and North America and cover most of land surface of the Northern Hemisphere. The organization was created during the Cold War era as an East-West forum.

The six official languages ​​of the OSCE are English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian. The OSCE considers itself a regional organization within the meaning of Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter and is an observer in the UN General Assembly. The OSCE Chairman-in-Office participates in routine briefings to the United Nations Security Council.

History and legal status of OBS

The history of the organization began in 1973 within the framework of the Conferences on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). Negotiations for a European Security Group had been ongoing since 1950, but the Cold War prevented progress until the Dipoli negotiations began in Helsinki in November 1972.

These negotiations were carried out on the proposal of Soviet Union, who wanted to use the negotiations to maintain his control over the communist countries of Eastern Europe, and Finnish President Urho Kekkonen perceived them as a means of maintaining his policy of neutrality. IN Western Europe However, they saw these negotiations as a way to reduce tensions in the region, promote economic cooperation and improve the humanitarian situation for the population of the communist bloc.

The recommendations for negotiations, in the form of "The Blue Book", created the practical basis for a three-stage conference called the "Helsinki Process". The CSCE was opened in Helsinki on July 3, 1973, and was attended by representatives of 35 states. The first stage of negotiations lasted five days and during it it was decided to follow the recommendations of the Blue Book. The second stage of negotiations became the main working phase and was held in Geneva from September 18, 1973 to July 21, 1975. The result of Phase II was the Helsinki Final Act, which was signed by 35 participating states during Phase III, which was held at Finlandia Hall from July 30 to August 1, 1975. The third stage of negotiations was opened by Holy See diplomat Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, who chaired the conference.

The concept for improving relations and implementing the act was developed during a series of subsequent meetings, including negotiations in Belgrade (4 October 1977 - 8 March 1978), Madrid (11 November 1980 - 9 September 1983) and Vienna (4 November 1986 - 19 January 1989) .

A unique feature of the OSCE is the non-binding status of its founding charter. Instead of a treaty formally ratified by national legislatures, the CSCE Final Act represents a political agreement by the heads of government of all countries to build security and cooperation in Europe based on the provisions of this Act. This allows the OSCE to remain flexible in the process of evolving and improving cooperation, avoiding disputes and/or sanctions for non-compliance.

By agreeing to these obligations, signatory countries recognized for the first time that the treatment of citizens within their borders was a matter of legitimate international concern. This began the process of building democracy in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, leading to the end of the Cold War. However, unlike most international intergovernmental organizations, the OSCE is deprived of the status of a subject of international law due to the lack of legal force of its charter. As a result, the owner of the OSCE headquarters, Austria, had to give the organization the rights of a subject in order to be able to sign a legal agreement about its presence in Vienna.

The collapse of the Soviet Union required a change in the role of the CSCE. The Charter of Paris for a New Europe, signed on November 21, 1990, marked the beginning of this change. The changes led to the renaming of the CSCE to OSCE on 1 January 1995, following a conference held in Budapest, Hungary in 1994. The OSCE structure began to include a separate secretariat, a Permanent Council, an OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, a Conflict Prevention Center and an Office for Free Elections (later renamed the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights).

In December 1996, the Lisbon Declaration “On a model of common and comprehensive security for Europe in the 21st century” confirmed the universal and indivisible nature of security on the European continent.

The result of the two-day OSCE summit in Istanbul on November 18-19, 1999 was a call for a political settlement of the conflict in Chechnya and the adoption of a Charter for European Security. According to then-Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, the summit marked a turning point in Russian perceptions of the OSCE, from an organization that expressed the collective will of Europe to one that served as the West's tool for "forced democratization."

In 2004, following a petition by a group of thirteen Democratic US senators to invite foreign observers to monitor the country's presidential elections, the US State Department agreed, and President George W. Bush invited the OSCE to participate in the process.

Member States of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

OSCE participating countries (57 states): Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, USA, Andorra, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Malta, Montenegro, Poland, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Georgia, Papal See, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, Great Britain.

Structure and institutions of the OSCE

The political leadership of the organization is carried out by heads of state and government during summit meetings. Summits are not regular or scheduled, but are held as needed. The last summit took place in Astana (Kazakhstan) on December 1 and 2, 2010. Decision-making at the highest level is carried out by the Council of Ministers, which meets at the end of each year. At ambassadorial level, the Permanent Council meets weekly in Vienna and acts as the body for regular negotiations and decision-making. The post of Chairman-in-Office is assigned to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the member state presiding over the organization. The Chairman of the Permanent Council is the Ambassador to Austria of the member state presiding over the organization. From 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012 The current Chairman is the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, Eamon Gilmore, who succeeded the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Audronius Azubalis.

In addition to the Ministerial Council and the Permanent Council, the OSCE's decision-making body is also the Forum for Security Co-operation. The Forum deals primarily with issues of military cooperation, such as the conditions and methods of verification in accordance with the Vienna Document 1999.

The OSCE Secretariat is located in Vienna, Austria. The current Secretary General is Lamberto Zannier from Italy, who took over the post from Marc Perrin de Brichambaut from France. In addition, the organization has offices in Copenhagen, Geneva, The Hague, Prague and Warsaw.

About 440 people work in various OSCE institutions. In total, the organization has about 750 international and 2,370 national employees.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe makes decisions on issues such as politics and security, economics and defense environment, and democracy and human rights. Representing the collective opinion of OSCE parliamentarians, these resolutions and recommendations are intended to ensure that all participating States comply with their OSCE commitments. The Parliamentary Assembly also engages in parliamentary diplomacy and has an extensive election observation program.

The OSCE's oldest institution is the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which was created in 1991 following a decision taken at the 1990 Paris summit. The bureau is located in Warsaw, Poland, and accepts active participation throughout the OSCE region on issues of election observation, democratic development, human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, the rule of law, Roma and Sinti. The ODIHR has observed more than 150 elections and referendums since 1995 with the help of 35,000 observers. Twice the Bureau worked beyond its authority by sending a team that suggested technical support 9 October 2004 presidential elections in Afghanistan, an OSCE Partner for Co-operation, and an election support team to assist in the parliamentary and provincial council elections on 18 September 2005.

The Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, established in December 1997, acts as a watchdog to provide early warning of violations of freedom of expression in OSCE participating States. The Representative also assists participating States in promoting and encouraging full compliance with OSCE norms, principles and commitments relating to freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

Chairmanship of the OSCE

The responsibilities of the Chairman-in-Office (COO) include coordinating the work of the OSCE institutions; representative functions in the Organization; monitoring activities related to conflict prevention, crisis resolution and post-conflict reconstruction.

The presidency is transferred once a year, and the post in the office of the chairman is held by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the state party currently presiding. The DP assists the previous and next colleagues in transferring cases; they together make up a trio. The origins of the institution lie in the Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990), and the Helsinki Document of 1992 formalized this function.

In 2012, the Troika consisted of the current DP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, Eamon Gilmore, former DP, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis, and the next DP, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Konstantin Grishchenko.

Military-political sphere of activity of the OSCE

The OSCE takes a comprehensive approach to security in the military-political sphere, which includes a number of obligations of participating states and mechanisms for preventing and resolving conflicts. The organization also strives to improve military security by promoting greater openness, transparency and cooperation.

Arms control. The end of the Cold War led to a huge surplus of available weapons, giving rise to an international gray market for weapons. The OSCE helps stop the - often illegal - proliferation of such weapons and offers assistance in their destruction. The OSCE conducts an annual exchange of information within the framework of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. The OSCE has also implemented two additional ways of exchanging information under the Vienna Document and the Global Exchange of Military Information. The Open Skies Consultative Commission, the executive body of the Open Skies Treaty, meets monthly at its headquarters in Vienna.

Boundary management. Actions taken by the OSCE in the framework of border monitoring for conflict prevention and post-conflict resolution, capacity building and institutional support.

Fight against terrorism. With expertise in conflict prevention, crisis management and early warning, the OSCE contributes to global efforts to combat terrorism.

Conflict prevention. The OSCE works to prevent the outbreak of conflicts and promotes political resolution of existing conflicts. It also helps carry out the rehabilitation process in post-conflict areas. Military reform. The OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation provides a framework for political dialogue on defense reform, and practical activities are carried out on the ground, including by the Center for Conflict Prevention.

Police operations. Police operations within the OSCE are an integral part of the organization's conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction efforts.

Economic and environmental sphere of activity of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Activities in the field of economics and ecology include monitoring developments related to economic and environmental security in OSCE participating states with the aim of preventing any threat of conflict, assisting states in creating economic and environmental policies, legislation and institutions to promote security in the OSCE region. Economic activity. Among the economic activities of the OSCE, one can highlight actions related to migration management, transport and energy security. Activities are mainly carried out in cooperation with partner organizations.

Environmental activities. The OSCE has developed a number of activities in the field of environmental protection aimed at solving problems of environmental safety in participating states. Activities include projects in the areas of hazardous waste management, water management and access to information under the Aarhus Convention.

OSCE activities in the field of human rights

The commitments made by OSCE participating States in the field of human rights are aimed at ensuring full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; respect for the rule of law; Implementing the principles of democracy by building, strengthening and protecting democratic institutions, and promoting tolerance throughout the OSCE region.

Combating human trafficking. Since 2003, the OSCE has had an established mechanism to combat trafficking in persons, which is defined in Article 3 of the Palermo Protocol and aims to attract public attention to this problem and create political will in participating States to effectively combat this phenomenon.

OSCE actions against trafficking in human beings are coordinated by the Office Special Representative and an anti-trafficking coordinator.

Activities to combat trafficking in persons in the OSCE region of the Office of the Special Representative include:

1. Cooperation with the governments of participating states, helping them to assume responsibilities and take action to curb trafficking in persons;
2. Providing solutions and tools for governments to make decisions and proposals to guide management in the fight against trafficking in persons, with the aim of achieving solutions tailored to the needs of individual countries and in accordance with international standards;
3. Helping governments develop national anti-trafficking structures necessary for effective domestic and transnational cooperation;
4. Raising awareness of the problem and helping to understand the complexity of the problem and the need for comprehensive solutions;
5. Attention to all aspects of human trafficking, namely trafficking for sexual exploitation, trafficking for forced and bonded labor, including domestic service, trafficking for forced marriages, trafficking in human organs and trafficking in children;
6. Ensuring effective interaction between all agents and organizations involved in the fight against human trafficking, ranging from government agencies, law enforcement officials and international organizations as institutions providing support for deeper knowledge and know-how;
7. Ensuring that the OSCE's fight against human trafficking is covered as much as possible to focus people's attention on the issue.

Democratization. The OSCE promotes democracy and assists participating States in building democratic institutions. In practice, however, some states have more decision-making power than others.

Education. Educational programs are an integral part of the organization's conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction efforts.

Elections. As part of its democratization activities, the OSCE carries out election assistance projects in the run-up to, during and after elections. However, the effectiveness of such assistance is controversial. Kazakhstan, for example, despite its membership and even chairmanship in the OSCE, is considered by many to be one of the least democratic countries in the world. Moreover, recent democratic gains in other Central Asian republics, particularly Kyrgyzstan, have led to rumors of Soviet-style abuses of the Kyrgyz democratic process by Kazakhstan and Russia. This may be largely due to concerns about the long-term stability of these countries' own quasi-dictatorships.

Gender equality. Gender equality is an integral part of a sustainable democracy. The OSCE is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for men and women and integrating gender equality in policy and practice.

Human rights. The OSCE's activities in the field of human rights focus on such priority areas as freedom of movement and religion, the prevention of torture and human trafficking.

National and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The OSCE can provide consultative status to NGOs and INGOs through the Researcher in Residence Program (run by the Prague Office of the OSCE Secretariat): accredited representatives of national and international non-governmental organizations have access to all documents and numerous up-to-date collections related to OSCE field activities.

Freedom of the media. The OSCE monitors the media in its participating States to make decisions and provide early warning of violations of freedom of expression.

Minority rights. Ethnic conflict is one of the main sources of large-scale violence in Europe today. The OSCE's approach is to identify and seek early resolution of ethnic tensions and set standards for the rights of people belonging to minority groups.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has been operating since January 1, 1995.

OSCE goals are:

1. promoting the improvement of mutual relations, as well as creating conditions to ensure long-term peace;
2. support for the easing of international tension;
3. recognition of the indivisibility of European security, as well as mutual interest in developing cooperation between member states;
4. recognition of the close interconnectedness of peace and security in Europe and throughout the world;
5. contribution to human rights, economic and social progress and the well-being of all peoples.

The main body of the OSCE is the Meeting of Heads of State and Government. Every two years it meets in session. The OSCE consists of representatives of the parliaments of countries that signed the Helsinki Act of 1975 and the Charter of Paris of 1990. The Parliamentary Assembly discusses issues raised at meetings of the Council of Ministers and at the summits of OSCE member states; develops and promotes the implementation of mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution; provides support to the strengthening and consolidation of democratic institutions in OSCE participating States.

OSCE bodies are the Council, the Committee of Senior Officials, the Secretariat, the Conflict Prevention Centre, etc. The Council, consisting of the foreign ministers of the participating States, is the central forum for regular consultations within the OSCE process, the Council considers issues relevant to the OSCE, and makes appropriate decisions. It prepares meetings of the heads of state and government of the participating states and carries out the tasks determined at these meetings and the decisions made at them, and holds its meetings regularly, at least once a year.

The Committee of Senior Officials prepares meetings of the Council, implements its decisions, reviews current issues and considers issues future work OSCE, including issues of its relations with other international forums. Meetings of the Committee are held at the location of the Secretariat in Prague.

The OSCE Secretariat provides administrative services for meetings of the Council and the Committee of Senior Officials. It maintains an archive of OSCE documentation and distributes documents at the request of participating States. The Secretariat consists of four departments and administrative and technical staff. The Secretary General is appointed by the Council of Ministers for 3 years.

The Conflict Prevention Center assists the Council in reducing the risk of conflict. The OSCE peace settlement system consists of the following four elements: the OSCE Dispute Settlement Mechanism (adopted in Valletta in 1991), the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration (adopted in Stockholm in 1992), the OSCE Reconciliation Commission (adopted in Stockholm in 1992) and the Directive Conciliation Regulations (adopted in Stockholm 1992). 53 states are members of the OSCE, including Russia.

History of formation. The OSCE emerged as a result of a political process aimed at creating a European security system that began in the 1970s. Throughout its long history, Europe has been the arena of military confrontation between the states located in it. The achievement of pan-European agreements on the development of cooperation between all states of the region and the creation of a pan-European security system became possible thanks to the improvement of relations between East and West, called the “policy of détente.”

At the initiative of the Department of Internal Affairs, which found understanding among other European countries, as well as the support of the United States and Canada, it was decided to hold a pan-European conference in order to finally stabilize the territorial changes that occurred as a result of the Second World War. Three preparatory meetings took place: in Helsinki (July 3-7, 1973) - at the level of foreign ministers, in Geneva (September 18, 1973 - July 21, 1975) - with the participation of delegations of the participating states and in Helsinki (30 July - August 1, 1975), which ended with the signing of the Final Act by the heads of state or government of the states participating in it; the last, third meeting was named the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The meeting became the most representative in the history of Europe after the Second World War and had enormous international significance. 30 years after the end of World War II, European states were able to take stock of its political results and lay the foundation for future cooperation.

Over the next 15 years, various meetings and negotiations took place within the framework of the Helsinki process of pan-European cooperation aimed at implementing the Helsinki agreements. The end of the Cold War was marked by efforts to institutionalize the Helsinki process, culminating in the creation of the OSCE.

By its nature, the Helsinki process had political nature, The conference form of organizing interstate interaction corresponded to the level of relations between European states achieved at that time. Initially, the initiators and all participants in the process did not set the task of creating a pan-European MM software, which was determined by a number of military-political and other factors determining the policies of the interested states. After the summit meeting in Budapest in 1994, the pan-European political process gradually began to be filled with legal content, indicating the transformation of the CSCE into the IWPO.

Basic principles and goals of the Helsinki process, the nature of its constituent act. The adoption of the CSCE Final Act pursued several important political goals, the most significant of which was the final settlement of all controversial issues of political relations between European states remaining after the Second World War. A special role in this was given to consolidating the international legal foundations for security and cooperation of European states, which was done in the Declaration of Principles of the Helsinki Act. The Declaration reaffirmed the most important fundamental principles of international law.

The scientific literature notes the complex nature of the CSCE Final Act. Its structure demonstrates the desire to regulate a wide range of relations between the signatory states. It consists of a preamble and five sections, including, in addition to the declaration of principles governing the mutual relations of the participating states, a set of agreements relating to security, disarmament and confidence-building measures in Europe, measures to develop economic, scientific and technical cooperation and cooperation in environmental and humanitarian spheres, as well as a number of other topics.

Question about legal meaning The final act remains controversial. Some lawyers proposed considering it as an international agreement, but at the same time did not recognize it as an international treaty in the sense given to it by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 1969. As a result, they denied the legal nature of the obligations arising from the act, recognizing them as only moral or political significance. A similar position was occupied by supporters of recognizing the Helsinki Act as a source of “soft law”.

Others viewed the Final Act and the Charter of Paris for a New Europe as treaties sui generis. They were joined by those who, without denying the political nature of the obligations contained in the act, emphasized the unique nature of this document, the influence of which on European development was many times greater than that of most legally binding treaties.

The question of the legal nature of the Final Act should not obscure its truly unique character and great political significance both for Europe and for international peace and security in general. As for determining its legal form, there is reason to assert: the participating states deliberately sought not to put it in the form of an international treaty. Thus, according to the Final Act, it is not subject to registration on the basis of Art. 102 of the UN Charter, provided for international treaties. Apparently this is not accidental, because the political obligations under the Final Act intersect with the competence of the UN in the matter of maintaining international peace and security. In the preamble of the Final Act, specific proposals in the main part are called recommendations. All this allows us to assert that the Final Act is not an international treaty in the generally accepted sense.

Legal status, organizational structure and participation in the OSCE. For a long time, the CSCE was a series of pan-European conferences and meetings that could not be classified as any specific type of international organization. Since the 1990s. The process of institutionalizing the CSCE and transforming it into the OSCE is gradually developing, which may lead in the future to the formation of an international regional organization.

The international legal basis for the OSCE's activities is made up of a number of documents, but there is still no single statutory (constituent) act of the OSCE. The OSCE's statutory documents include the Final Act of 1975 and the Charter of Paris for a New Europe

• 1990, which declared the OSCE a regional body in the sense of Ch. VIII of the UN Charter. The Charter defines the framework of institutions and structures, which were further refined at Council meetings in Berlin in
• 1991, Prague 1992, Stockholm 1992, Rome 1993, Helsinki Declaration 1992, Budapest Document "Towards a Genuine Partnership for a New Era" 1994.

Since the signing of the Final Act of 1975, the number of members of the organization has grown from 35 to 57. In addition, the so-called associated states of the Mediterranean cooperate with the OSCE: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, as well as other countries such as Japan, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Afghanistan and Mongolia.

IN OSCE structure Several types of bodies can be distinguished: main bodies (summits, Council of Foreign Ministers, Permanent Council, Forum for Security and Cooperation); functional bodies (OSCE Chairmanship, troika, Parliamentary Assembly, etc.); bodies adjacent to the OSCE (Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, Joint Consultative Group and Open Skies Advisory Commission).

Major organs are characterized as follows.

Meeting of Heads of State and Government - the highest political body of the OSCE (meetings are held at least once every two years) - discusses the most important pan-European problems, makes decisions, determines priorities and develops the main directions of the organization's activities.

Council of Foreign Ministers - central executive and administrative body - meets regularly at least once a year as the central forum for political consultations and assessment of all issues of OSCE activities, as well as for making decisions on them. It shall take all necessary measures to implement all decisions of the Meetings of Heads of State and Government and to examine any suitable measures to strengthen security and cooperation in Europe.

Member States may convene meetings of ministers responsible for other matters in the form industry councils.

OSCE Standing Committee consists of representatives of member states, the Committee meets weekly in Vienna for the purpose of political consultations and the development of political decisions.

Forum on Security and Cooperation meets weekly in Vienna to discuss and make decisions on issues related to military aspects of security in the OSCE area, in particular confidence and security measures.

Functional organs OSCE:

• 1) the highest official - the OSCE Chairmanship. This is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country that hosted the last meeting of the Council;
• 2) High Commissioner for National Minorities;
• 3) Bureau for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights;
• 4) OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media;
• 5) The Parliamentary Assembly, created to develop inter-parliamentary dialogue, which is an important aspect of efforts to develop democracy in the OSCE area;
• 6) OSCE Secretariat - located in Vienna, its work is assisted by the Office located in Prague. The Secretariat provides administrative services to the Council and the Committee and maintains an archive of OSCE documentation. In 2000, the Secretariat was reorganized and now consists of three departments: the Conflict Prevention Center (CPC), which includes an external operations department, as well as a team of assistance and operational cooperation experts, a human resources department, and an administration and finance department. . Based on the Charter of Paris, the Office for Free Elections was also formed to facilitate contacts and exchange of information about elections in participating states.

Main areas of OSCE activity:

• 1) military-political issues, including European security and disarmament, peaceful settlement of disputes between European states;
• 2) development of economic and environmental cooperation;
• 3) actions in the sphere of the human dimension.

OSCE activities on military-political issues generally

contributed to the strengthening of the international legal framework for security in Europe. The most important achievement in this area is the establishment of an international legal regime for the peaceful settlement of disputes within the OSCE on the basis of the Regulations concerning the OSCE Reconciliation Commission, the OSCE Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration and the Regulations on Mandated Conciliation.

The next important element of European security is the formation of a system confidence and security measures, and also restrictions on conventional weapons(for more information about this area of ​​OSCE activity, see Chapter 24 of this textbook).

Goals early warning of conflicts, crisis management and post-conflict reconstruction assigned to peacekeeping operations and OSCE missions, whose mandate may include the implementation wide range tasks: from mediation functions in resolving international disputes to post-conflict restoration of the infrastructure of the host state.

Questions economic cooperation within the OSCE from the very beginning were inextricably linked with the problems of ensuring environmental protection. The basic principles and directions of economic and environmental cooperation, which were initially enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, were subsequently developed in the activities of the OSCE. In particular, the commitment of the participating states to the principles market economy, it was proposed to focus efforts on providing full support to countries in the transition phase of their efforts to create the foundations of a civilized market economy and integrate into the world economic system.

An important area of ​​OSCE activity is human dimension cooperation - an important component of a comprehensive approach to European security. Three Human Dimension Conferences were held within the framework of the CSCE: Paris in 1989, Copenhagen in 1990 and Moscow in 1991.

To develop cooperation on human rights, the institution of the High Commissioner on National Minorities was established. In 1997, the post of OSCE Special Representative on Freedom of the Media was created, who monitors the development of the media in all OSCE participating States.

Managers Chairman Miroslav Lajcak Secretary General Thomas Greminger Director of ODIHR Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir Questions Representative
media freedom Harlem Desir High Commissioner for National Minorities Lamberto Zannier Base CSCE 1 July 1973 Helsinki Final Act July 30 - August 1, 1975 Paris Charter November 21, 1990 OSCE January 1995 1 Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe Awards osce.org Media files on Wikimedia Commons

Former name - "Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe" (CSCE) - (CSCE: English. Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe, fr. Conférence sur la securité et la coopération en Europe).

Story [ | ]

The “Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe” was convened as a permanent international forum of representatives of all European states (except Albania and Andorra), as well as the United States and Canada, to develop measures to reduce military confrontation and strengthen security in Europe.

The meeting was held in three stages:

1. July 3 - 7, 1973 - Helsinki - meeting of foreign ministers,
2. September 18, 1973 - July 21, 1975 - Geneva - making proposals, amendments and agreeing on the text of the Final Act,
3. On July 30 - August 1, 1975, in the capital of Finland, Helsinki, the leaders of the 35 founding states signed the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Agreements).

Subsequent meetings

The development of the agreements reached was consolidated at meetings of the participating states:

• 1977-1978 - Belgrade,
• 1980-1983 - Madrid,
• November 19-21, 1990 - Paris Meeting of Heads of State and Government of the CSCE Participating States. Was signed here Charter of Paris for a New Europe(which declared the end of the Cold War), concluded Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe(CFE), a joint declaration of 22 states (members of NATO and the Warsaw Pact Organization) was adopted, the current three-level mechanism of political consultations was created: summit meetings, the Council of Foreign Ministers (CMFA), the Committee of Senior Officials.
• September 10 - October 4, 1991 - Moscow third final meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE (the first was held in 1989 in Paris, the second in 1990 in Copenhagen). A document was adopted that for the first time indicated that issues relating to human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law are of an international nature, and human dimension commitments are not exclusively the internal affairs of CSCE member states.
• 1992 - Helsinki Summit. The document " Calling time for change”, which marked the beginning of the transformation of the CSCE from a forum of predominantly political dialogue between participating states into a transregional organization aimed at maintaining military-political stability and developing cooperation “from Vancouver to Vladivostok”. The CSCE received broad powers and opportunities to take practical measures to prevent and resolve local and regional conflicts.
• 1992 - Stockholm meeting of the Council of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The post of CSCE Secretary General was established.
• 1993 - Rome meeting of the Council of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Accepted Declaration on Aggressive Nationalism- the source of modern conflicts. The CSCE Permanent Committee was created - an institution of permanent representatives of the participating states.
• 1994 - Budapest Summit. A decision was made to rename the CSCE from January 1, 1995 to OSCE - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The political declaration “ Towards a true partnership in new era ", an agreement to begin developing a model of common and comprehensive security for Europe in the 21st century, military-political agreements ("Exact Code of Conduct regarding military-political aspects of security", "Principles governing non-proliferation", etc.).
• 1995 - Budapest Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.
• December 2-3, 1996 - Lisbon meeting of heads of state and government of OSCE participating states. The Declaration of the Lisbon Summit and the Declaration “ On a model of common and comprehensive security for Europe in the 21st century”, which emphasizes the need to build a united, peaceful and democratic Europe without dividing lines. A document on updating the CFE Treaty (Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe) was adopted. At Russia's initiative, participating states committed themselves to exercising restraint in their military efforts, including levels of weapons and their deployment. The documents “Conceptual Framework for Arms Control” and “Development of the Agenda of the Forum for Security Cooperation” were adopted, which cemented the role of arms control as an important tool for ensuring stability in Europe. In the work of the OSCE, there is an increasingly noticeable emphasis on conflicts existing in the space of the former USSR and Yugoslavia.
• 1997 - Copenhagen meeting of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers. A decision was made to begin work on the Charter for European Security.
• 1998 - OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Oslo. The Declaration on the Role of the OSCE in the Creation of new system European security. The Declaration included provisions on OSCE police operations. At the meeting, considerable attention was paid to the problems of Kosovo and conflict situations in the CIS.
• November 18-19, 1999 - Istanbul meeting of heads of state and government of the OSCE participating States. The Russian delegation was headed by Boris Yeltsin. Accepted Charter for European Security, agreement on adaptation of the CFE Treaty, the final Political Declaration and the modernized Vienna Document on Confidence Building Measures as a basis for further work. Russia has made political commitments to withdraw troops from Georgia and Transnistria.
• 2000 - Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Vienna. The Declaration “On the Role of the OSCE in South-Eastern Europe”, a decision to strengthen OSCE activities to combat human trafficking were adopted, and a document was approved to limit the illicit trafficking and proliferation of small arms and light weapons. Due to fundamental differences, the ministers were unable to adopt the final general political document of the meeting - the ministerial declaration.
• 2001 - Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Bucharest. A ministerial declaration, an action plan to combat terrorism, a document on strengthening the role of the OSCE as a forum for political dialogue, and statements on regional issues (Georgia, Moldova, Nagorno-Karabakh, South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia) were adopted.
• June 12, 2002 - Lisbon International Conference. The final document “Preventing and Combating Terrorism” was adopted, assessing the role of international and regional organizations in countering terrorism.
• 2003 - Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Maastricht (Netherlands). Decisions in the field of military-political security were approved (on the destruction of surplus conventional ammunition, on strengthening control over the proliferation of man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems, Guidance on best practices in the field of small arms and light weapons). Since 2003, due to the conflict between Russia and a number of OSCE member countries, political declarations have not been adopted. In Maastricht, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said that Russia must comply with the 1999 Istanbul Agreements (on the withdrawal of troops from Georgia and Transnistria) and this should be indicated in the declaration. Russia blocked the document.
• January 15, 2004 - meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council - Russia proposed to change the existing view of the OSCE as “an instrument for serving the interests of individual states and groups” and make efforts to achieve the main goal of the OSCE - the creation of an indivisible pan-European security space with common principles and rules for all.
• 2004 - the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Sofia coincided with the “Orange Revolution” in Ukraine. The final document was blocked.
• July 3, 2004 - a statement was adopted in Moscow by the CIS countries accusing the OSCE of “practice double standards” and “unwillingness to take into account the realities and characteristics of individual states.” Russia called for the OSCE to be reorganized and “returned to its original principles.” Russia blocked the adoption of the OSCE budget for 2005 for three months, demanding that its share in it be reduced, and declared its reluctance to finance projects that contradict Russian interests. As a result, the Russian Federation’s share remained at 9%.
• 2005 - a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Ljubljana (Slovenia) ended without adopting a final declaration. The confrontation continues between Russia and some OSCE members, who demand that it withdraw troops from Transnistria and condemn it for the draft law on non-profit organizations, according to which control over them by the state will be tightened. Russia, for its part, criticized the OSCE’s activities in recent years, especially on the activities of OSCE observers monitoring elections in the CIS. Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Lavrov presented his plan - the “Road Map for OSCE Reform”. Lavrov accused OSCE observers of lacking a uniform standard in assessing the elections. IN lately observers from the CIS and from the OSCE give directly opposite assessments of the elections they attend (presidential elections in Ukraine, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan). The OSCE Reform Roadmap was adopted. At the meeting, the GUAM countries - Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova - spoke out against Russia. On the eve of the OSCE forum, the chairmanship in GUAM passed to Moldova, and it was Moldova, which was more interested in Russia’s fulfillment of the “Istanbul Agreements” (on the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia and Transnistria), and spoke at the OSCE meeting on behalf of GUAM. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Boris Tarasyuk said that the GUAM countries will continue to act together.
• December 5, 2006 - at a meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council, Sergei Lavrov for the first time announced the possibility of the Russian Federation leaving the OSCE if it does not shift the focus of its activities from monitoring human rights to military-political cooperation and the economy.
• October 26, 2007 - Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan submitted to the OSCE a draft resolution limiting the work of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. On November 30, at the summit of the OSCE foreign ministers, the resolution was rejected.
• November 16, 2007 - refused to send its observers to the parliamentary elections in Russia.
• February 7, 2008 - refused to send its observers to the Russian presidential elections.
• July 3, 2009 - the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted a resolution “On the reunification of a divided Europe: Promoting human rights and civil liberties in the OSCE region in the 21st century.”
• December 1, 2010 - the OSCE summit was held in Astana (Kazakhstan) after an 11-year break.

Structure [ | ]

The main bodies of the organization are:

• Summit (Summit) is a periodically held meeting of heads of state and government of the OSCE countries.
• The Council of Foreign Ministers is an annual (except for the year of summit meetings) meeting of the foreign ministers of the OSCE participating States.
• A permanent council under the leadership of the current chairman (eng. Chairperson-in-Office, CiO), who holds this post for a year. Conducts political consultations and makes decisions on a regular basis (meets weekly in Vienna).
• Forum for Security Cooperation - regularly discusses arms control and CSBMs (meets weekly in Vienna).
• Representative on Freedom of the Media - monitors developments in the media landscape in the 57 OSCE participating States.

Management [ | ]

Current Chairman[ | ]

Secretary General[ | ]

The Secretary General heads the Secretariat. Appointed by the Council of Ministers for a period of 3 years:

• Wilhelm Heink (1993-1996)
• Giancarlo Aragona (1996-1999)
• Jan Kubis (1999-2005)
• Marc Perrin de Brichambaut (2005-2011)
• Lamberto Zannier (2011-2017)
• Thomas Greminger

States Parties[ | ]

OSCE participants [ | ]

State	State
Austria	Malta
Azerbaijan	Moldova
Albania	Monaco
Andorra	Mongolia
Armenia	Netherlands
Belarus	Norway
Belgium	Poland
Bulgaria	Portugal
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Russia
Vatican	Romania
United Kingdom	San Marino
Hungary	Serbia
Germany
Greece	Slovenia
Georgia	USA
Denmark	Tajikistan
Ireland	Turkmenistan
	Türkiye
Spain	Uzbekistan
	Ukraine
Kazakhstan	Finland
Canada
Cyprus	Croatia
Kyrgyzstan	Montenegro

, Italian And Spanish

Managers Chairman Secretary General Director of ODIHR

Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir

Questions Representative
media freedom Base CSCE 1 July 1973 Helsinki Final Act July 30 - August 1, 1975 Paris Charter November 21, 1990 OSCE January 1995 1 Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe Awards osce.org Media files on Wikimedia Commons

Former name - "Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe" (CSCE) - (CSCE: English. Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe, fr. ).

Encyclopedic YouTube

1 / 2

✪ Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

✪ Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Subtitles

Story

The “Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe” was convened as a permanent international forum of representatives of 33 European states, as well as the United States and Canada, to develop measures to reduce military confrontation and strengthen security in Europe.

The meeting was held in three stages:

1. July 3 - 7, 1973 - Helsinki - meeting of foreign ministers,
2. September 18, 1973 - July 21, 1975 - Geneva - making proposals, amendments and agreeing on the text of the Final Act,
3. On July 30 - August 1, 1975, in the capital of Finland, Helsinki, the heads of 33 states signed the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Accords).

Subsequent meetings

The development of the agreements reached was consolidated at meetings of the participating states:

• 1977-1978 - Belgrade,
• 1980-1983 - Madrid,
• November 19-21, 1990 - Paris Meeting of Heads of State and Government of the CSCE Participating States. Was signed here Charter of Paris for a New Europe(which declared the end of the Cold War), concluded Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe(CFE), a joint declaration of 22 states (members of NATO and the Warsaw Pact Organization) was adopted, the current three-level mechanism of political consultations was created: summit meetings, the Council of Foreign Ministers (CMFA), the Committee of Senior Officials.
• September 10 - October 4, 1991 - Moscow third final meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE (the first was held in 1989 in Paris, the second in 1990 in Copenhagen). A document was adopted that for the first time indicated that issues relating to human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law are of an international nature, and human dimension commitments are not exclusively the internal affairs of CSCE member states. Conférence sur la securité et la coopération en Europe
• 1992 - Helsinki Summit. The document " Calling time for change”, which marked the beginning of the transformation of the CSCE from a forum of predominantly political dialogue between participating states into a transregional organization aimed at maintaining military-political stability and developing cooperation “from Vancouver to Vladivostok”. The CSCE received broad powers and opportunities to take practical measures to prevent and resolve local and regional conflicts.
• 1992 - Stockholm meeting of the Council of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The post of CSCE Secretary General was established.
• 1993 - Rome meeting of the Council of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Accepted Declaration on Aggressive Nationalism- the source of modern conflicts. The CSCE Permanent Committee was created - an institution of permanent representatives of the participating states.
• 1994 - Budapest Summit. A decision was made to rename the CSCE from January 1, 1995 to OSCE - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The political declaration “ Towards genuine partnership in a new era”, an agreement to begin developing a model of common and comprehensive security for Europe in the 21st century, military-political agreements (“Code of Conduct Concerning Military-Political Aspects of Security”, “Principles Governing Non-Proliferation”, etc.).
• 1995 - Budapest Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.
• December 2-3, 1996 - Lisbon meeting of heads of state and government of OSCE participating states. The Declaration of the Lisbon Summit and the Declaration “ On a model of common and comprehensive security for Europe in the 21st century”, which emphasizes the need to build a united, peaceful and democratic Europe without dividing lines. A document on updating the CFE Treaty (Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe) was adopted. At Russia's initiative, participating states committed themselves to exercising restraint in their military efforts, including levels of weapons and their deployment. The documents “Conceptual Framework for Arms Control” and “Development of the Agenda of the Forum for Security Cooperation” were adopted, which cemented the role of arms control as an important tool for ensuring stability in Europe. In the work of the OSCE, there is an increasingly noticeable emphasis on conflicts existing in the space of the former USSR and Yugoslavia.
• 1997 - Copenhagen meeting of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers. A decision was made to begin work on the Charter for European Security.
• 1998 - OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Oslo. The Declaration on the role of the OSCE in creating a new European security system was adopted. The Declaration included provisions on OSCE police operations. At the meeting, considerable attention was paid to the problems of Kosovo and conflict situations in the CIS.
• November 18-19, 1999 - Istanbul meeting of heads of state and government of the OSCE participating States. The Russian delegation was headed by Boris Yeltsin. Accepted Charter for European Security, agreement on adaptation of the CFE Treaty, the final Political Declaration and the modernized Vienna Document on Confidence Building Measures as a basis for further work. Russia has made political commitments to withdraw troops from Georgia and Transnistria.
• 2000 - Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Vienna. The Declaration “On the Role of the OSCE in South-Eastern Europe”, a decision to strengthen OSCE activities to combat human trafficking were adopted, and a document was approved to limit the illicit trafficking and proliferation of small arms and light weapons. Due to fundamental differences, the ministers were unable to adopt the final general political document of the meeting - the ministerial declaration.
• 2001 - Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Bucharest. A ministerial declaration, an action plan to combat terrorism, a document on strengthening the role of the OSCE as a forum for political dialogue, statements on regional problems (Georgia, Moldova, Nagorno-Karabakh, South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia) were adopted.
• June 12, 2002 - Lisbon International Conference. The final document “Preventing and Combating Terrorism” was adopted, assessing the role of international and regional organizations in countering terrorism.
• 2003 - Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Maastricht (Netherlands). Decisions in the field of military-political security were approved (on the destruction of surplus conventional ammunition, on strengthening control over the proliferation of man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems, Guidance on best practices in the field of small arms and light weapons). Since 2003, due to the conflict between Russia and a number of OSCE member countries, political declarations have not been adopted. In Maastricht, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said that Russia must comply with the 1999 Istanbul Agreements (on the withdrawal of troops from Georgia and Transnistria) and this should be indicated in the declaration. Russia blocked the document.
• January 15, 2004 - meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council - Russia proposed to change the existing view of the OSCE as “an instrument for serving the interests of individual states and groups” and make efforts to achieve the main goal of the OSCE - the creation of an indivisible pan-European security space with common principles and rules for all.
• 2004 - the Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Sofia coincided with the “Orange revolution” in Ukraine. The final document was blocked.
• July 3, 2004 - a statement was adopted in Moscow by the CIS countries, accusing the OSCE of “the practice of double standards” and “an unwillingness to take into account the realities and characteristics of individual states.” Russia called for the OSCE to be reorganized and “returned to its original principles.” Russia blocked the adoption of the OSCE budget for 2005 for three months, demanding that its share in it be reduced, and declared its reluctance to finance projects that contradict Russian interests. As a result, the Russian Federation’s share remained at 9%.
• 2005 - a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Ljubljana (Slovenia) ended without adopting a final declaration. The confrontation continues between Russia and some OSCE members, who demand that it withdraw troops from Transnistria and condemn it for the upcoming bill on non-profit organizations, according to which state control over them will be tightened. Russia, for its part, has criticized the activities of the OSCE in recent years, especially the activities of OSCE observers monitoring elections in the CIS. Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Lavrov presented his plan - the “Road Map for OSCE Reform.” Lavrov accused OSCE observers of lacking a uniform standard in assessing the elections. Recently, observers from the CIS and the OSCE have been giving directly opposite assessments of the elections they are present at (presidential elections in Ukraine, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan). The OSCE Reform Roadmap was adopted. At the meeting, the GUAM countries - Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova - spoke out against Russia. On the eve of the OSCE forum, the chairmanship in GUAM passed to Moldova, and it was Moldova, which was more interested in Russia’s fulfillment of the “Istanbul Agreements” (on the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia and Transnistria), and spoke at the OSCE meeting on behalf of GUAM. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Boris Tarasyuk said that the GUAM countries will continue to act together.
• December 5, 2006 - at a meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council, Sergei Lavrov for the first time announced the possibility of the Russian Federation leaving the OSCE if it does not shift the focus of its activities from monitoring human rights to military-political cooperation and the economy.
• October 26, 2007 - Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan submitted a draft resolution to the OSCE limiting the work of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. On November 30, at the summit of the OSCE foreign ministers, the resolution was rejected.
• November 16, 2007 - refused to send its observers to the parliamentary elections in Russia.
• February 7, 2008 - refused to send its observers to the Russian presidential elections.
• July 3, 2009 - the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted a resolution “On the reunification of a divided Europe: Promotion of human rights and civil liberties in the OSCE region in the 21st century.”
• December 1, 2010 - the OSCE summit was held in Astana (Kazakhstan) after an 11-year break.

Structure

The main bodies of the organization are:

• Summit (Summit) is a periodically held meeting of heads of state and government of the OSCE countries.
• The Council of Foreign Ministers is an annual (except for the year of summit meetings) meeting of the foreign ministers of the OSCE participating States.
• A permanent council under the leadership of the current chairman (Chairperson-in-Office, CiO), who holds this post for a year. Conducts political consultations and makes decisions on a regular basis (meets weekly in Vienna).
• Forum for Security Cooperation - regularly discusses arms control and CSBMs (meets weekly in Vienna).
• High Commissioner for National Minorities
• Representative on Freedom of the Media - monitors developments in the media landscape in the 57 OSCE participating States.

Management

Current Chairman

Secretary General

Secretary General - heads the Secretariat. Appointed by the Council of Ministers for a period of 3 years:

• Wilhelm Heink (1993-1996)
• Giancarlo Aragona (1996-1999)
• Jan Kubis (1999-2005)
• Marc Perrin de Brichambaut (2005-2011)
• Lamberto Zanier (2011-2017)
• Thomas Greminger

States Parties

OSCE participants

State	State
Austria	Malta
Azerbaijan	Moldova
Albania	Monaco
Andorra	Mongolia
Armenia	Netherlands
Belarus	Norway
Belgium	Poland
Bulgaria	Portugal
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Russia
Vatican	Romania
United Kingdom	San Marino
Hungary	Serbia
Germany	Slovakia
Greece	Slovenia
Georgia	USA
Denmark	Tajikistan
Ireland	Turkmenistan
	Türkiye
Spain	Uzbekistan