... age. The idea was approved by other participating bodies.
The attendance also included OSCE PA Secretary General Spencer Oliver, OSCE PA Program ManagerMaria Chepurina, SIPRI Director Ian Anthony, Helsinki+40 Advisory Board Member Goran Lennmarker, OSCE PA Vice-President Kent Harstedt, former European Parliament member Tarja Cronberg (Finland), Senior Research Fellow of the Finnish Institute of International Relations Sinikukka Saari, former EU Ambassador to the International Organizations Lars Eric Lundin, and former Director of the Finnish ...
RIAC Report #16
The dramatic developments in Ukraine in 2014 have once again demonstrated the relevance of the cooperative crisis management tools and mechanisms of the OSCE.
Issues of strengthening and reforming the OSCE are once again part of the European agenda.
The 40th anniversary of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe represents an important milestone in the development of the organization and provides an occasion for a frank discussion about the problems ...
On September 25, 2014, Russian International Affairs Council and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly held the international seminar "Helsinki +40 Process: Prospects for Strengthening the OSCE" with participation of the OSCE PA representatives, top European politicians and civil society leaders, Russian parliamentarians and key experts.
The event was opened by the project co-chair
Joao Soares
(MP, Portugal) and RIAC President
Igor Ivanov
.
The speakers' list at the plenary session included OSCE ...
... increasing its capacity to act. If they let this opportunity slip and opt to maintain the status quo, they will be ignoring the lessons of the Ukraine crisis as well as those of previous crises and will contribute to the further marginalisation of the OSCE in the European security architecture.
Interview by Natalia Evtikhevich, RIAC Program Manager
Article by Javier Ruperez, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (1996-1998)
Right After the War
No Peace Treaty was signed to certify an end to World War II in Europe and validate the territorial changes it caused on the continent. Hasty military arrangements taken by the victorious powers against the defeated axis – Germany and its allies in the conflict - soon became the only point of reference: the ...
... between close allies, and finally large geographic distances.
Therefore, if Europe is just a geographical notion, the pan-European nature of organizations becomes pointless and stands in the way of effective decision-making. However, the Council of Europe and the OSCE operate from the assumption that the countries in the region (both European and Euro-Atlantic) are brought together by something more than geographic proximity and common roots, i.e. common values and a common interest in ensuring stability and safety....
