Report

From 9 to 12 October 2009, six Canadian parliamentarians travelled to Athens, Greece to attend the 2009 Fall Meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE.  The Honourable Senator Consiglio Di Nino led the delegation, which included the Honourable Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein, Mr. David Tilson, Member of Parliament, Mr. Peter Goldring, Member of Parliament, Mr. Todd Russell, Member of Parliament, and Madame Francine Lalonde, Member of Parliament.  The delegation was accompanied by Maxime Ricard, Delegation Secretary, and Natalie Mychajlyszyn, Advisor.

OVERVIEW OF THE OSCE

Established in 1975 as the “Conference on Security and Co‑operation in Europe” (CSCE), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was given its current name at the Budapest Summit in December 1994.  The OSCE participating countries, currently 56 in number, are “all the European states, the United States and Canada.”[1]  Eleven other states from the Mediterranean area and Asia joined as observers and are known as “Partners for Cooperation.”  The organization is defined as a primary instrument for early warning, conflict prevention and crisis management.  It is also recognized as a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, which requires that participating United Nations Member States “make every effort to achieve pacific settlement of local disputes through such regional arrangements or by such regional agencies before referring them to the Security Council.”[2]  However, the OSCE is not an international organization in the strict sense of international law, in that its resolutions are not legally binding on the signatory countries.

The OSCE’s 2009 budget is €158.7 million, a decrease from the 2008 budget which was €164.2 million. Approximately 75% of the OSCE’s budget is dedicated to 25 field missions and other field activities. The OSCE employs approximately 3,450 individuals, the vast majority of whom are assigned to field missions. One-quarter of the OSCE employees are seconded by the participating countries.

A. An Inclusive, Global and Cooperative Approach to Security

The OSCE’s unique character derives from its composition, which enables the United States and Canada to participate as full members in an organization that addresses European issues.  The OSCE favours inclusive dialogue over selective admission.  This enables it to keep communication channels open on key security issues between Western democracies and countries with less exemplary democratic records.  It also promotes exchanges between the European Union and Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) that are not members of the Council of Europe.  Whereas the foremost goal of the Council of Europe is to promote and defend democratic development and human rights, and to hold member governments accountable for their performance in these areas, the OSCE aims to foster the development of an expansive, conflict-free geographic area – from Vancouver to Vladivostok – regardless of the democratic characteristics of the participating states.

The OSCE’s resolutions and activities stem from a comprehensive understanding of security that extends beyond the political-military model.  In the Charter for European Security, adopted at the November 1999 Istanbul Summit, the heads of state and of government of the participating countries agreed to “address the human, economic, political and military dimensions of security as an integral whole.”[3]  All forms of peaceful cooperation between the participating countries are considered as having the potential to reduce the risks of conflict in the region.  The OSCE’s cooperative approach is confirmed by the fact that all 56 states have equal status.  Decisions are made by consensus rather than majority vote.[4]

B. Operational Capacity

After the end of the Cold War, the OSCE developed its institutions and operational capacities in response to particular and often urgent needs, and not as a long-term strategic plan.  The 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe laid the foundations for the OSCE’s institutional framework.

Field activities account for almost 75% of the OSCE budget.  The fact that it has no missions in Western Europe or North America is a point frequently raised by the Commonwealth of Independent States to argue that, although it claims to be cooperative and egalitarian, the OSCE applies a double standard in its relations with the participating countries.  The OSCE’s reply is that its operations stem from commitments made in a consensual manner and at the invitation of the countries themselves.

The OSCE is led by a rotating “chairman-in-office” selected to serve a one-year term from among the foreign ministers of the participating countries.  As the organization’s senior diplomat, the chairman-in-office is supported by the Secretariat and its secretary general who are based in Vienna.

On 1 January 2009, Greece succeeded Finland as the chair of the organization.  George Papandreou, Greece’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, has been Chairman-in-Office since 6 October 2009, replacing Dora Bakoyannis who was the previous Foreign Minister.  Kazakhstan will succeed Greece as chair of the organization on 1 January 2010. 

C. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is the parliamentary dimension of the OSCE.  It was created by the OSCE (at that time the CSCE) in 1991 following the call set out by the participating States in the 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe. Its primary purpose is to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue on issues facing the participating States, issue recommendations for their own governments, parliaments and citizens concerning the OSCE’s three spheres of action.  Among its objectives are:

·         To assess the implementation of OSCE objectives by participating States:

·         To discuss subjects addressed during meetings of the OSCE;

·         To develop and promote mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of conflicts;

·         To support the strengthening and consolidation of democratic institutions in OSCE participating States; and,

·         To contribute to the development of OSCE institutional structures and of relations between existing OSCE Institutions.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is organised according to three General Committees representing the three “baskets” of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and the areas of focus of the OSCE:  the First General Committee on Political Affairs and Security, the Second General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, and the Third General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.  Its work is also carried out by way of ad hoc committees, working groups, and special representatives and envoys. The Parliamentary Assembly also plays a key role in observing elections in the OSCE region and regularly sends parliamentary delegations on field missions.

It is managed by a Bureau and a Standing Committee.  The Bureau comprises a President, nine Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, the Chair, Vice-Chair and Rapporteur for each of the three General Committees, and the President Emeritus.  The Bureau is responsible for ensuring that the decisions of the Standing Committee are carried out and takes decisions by majority vote.  The Standing Committee of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly comprises the members of the Bureau and the 56 heads of delegation of the participating states.  The Standing Committee guides the work of the Assembly, approves its budget and appoints the Secretary General.  It uses the “consensus minus one” rule when voting on decisions, except in the case of the appointment of the Secretary General, which is done by a majority vote. 

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is administratively supported by the Secretary-General and the Secretariat who are located in Copenhagen.  These were established and became operational in January 1993 soon after the creation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Today the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly comprises more than 300 parliamentarians who are appointed by their respective parliaments.  Observers of the Assembly include parliamentarians from the OSCE’s Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia) and Asian Partners for Cooperation (Japan, Korea, Thailand, Afghanistan and Mongolia), and representatives from other parliamentary assemblies and security organizations, such as NATO.

Since its first Annual Meeting in Budapest in July 1992, members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and representatives of the Partners for Co-operation have convened several times a year to carry out the mandate of the Assembly.  The Assembly itself meets in plenary at the Annual Session held in July and hosted by the parliament of a participating State.  The Annual Session is the most important event in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calendar where the Assembly debates a number of OSCE matters and resolutions, receives reports, adopts the Session’s declaration, and elects its officers.  At the Fall Meetings in September, also hosted by the parliament of a participating State, the Assembly in plenary holds a conference on a topical issue. 

The General Committees meet at the Annual Session to debate and adopt resolutions, and elect Committee officers; they also convene jointly and separately at the Winter Meeting in February in Vienna, where the OSCE’s headquarters are located, to discuss and debate issues of importance, receive briefings by senior OSCE officials, and hear presentations by the Rapporteurs on their draft resolutions for the Annual Session.

The Bureau meets at the Annual Session as well as in April and December.  The Standing Committee meets at the Annual Session, the Fall Meetings, and at the Winter Meeting. 

The OSCE PA also convenes to discuss more specific topics either on the margins of these regular annual meetings or at other times. For instance, the Parliamentary Forum on the Mediterranean is held during the Fall Meetings of the OSCE PA, and the Economic Conference is hosted by the parliament of a participating State every second spring.

The Assembly’s budget is approved at the Annual Session; the 2009–2010 budget, approved at the 2009 Annual Session, is €2.86 million, the same amount as in the previous year.  In 2009–2010 Canada’s budgeted contribution is C$250,155.

The Assembly’s budget covers most of the organizational expenses related to the Annual Session, Winter Meeting, Fall Meetings, Standing Committee and Bureau Meetings, official visits, the election observation programme, as well as the costs of the International Secretariat.  Host parliaments of the Annual Sessions contribute significantly by providing considerable support.  The Secretariat’s office facilities are provided free of charge by the Danish Folketing. 

João Soares (Portugal) has been president of the PA since July 2008, succeeding Göran Lennmarker (Sweden).  Spencer Oliver (United States) has served as secretary general since January 1993.  The Honourable Jerahmiel Grafstein, member of the Canadian Senate, has acted as vice-president since July 2007, having served as treasurer from 2001-2007.  The Honourable Senator Consiglio Di Nino, head of the Canadian delegation since February 2005, has been chair of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security since July 2009, having served as its vice-chair from July 2007.

2009 FALL MEETINGS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY[5]

For four days from 9 to 12 October 2009, almost 200 parliamentarians from 50 of the 56 OSCE participating States, together with representatives of the “Partners for Cooperation” states, including Algeria, Jordan, Egypt and Israel met in Athens, Greece for three complementary events: an inter-parliamentary conference on “Energy Security and Environment,” the Mediterranean Forum of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the Standing Committee Meeting.

A. Inter-Parliamentary Conference, “Energy Security and Environment” 

1. Opening Plenary Session

At the opening session, the participants heard the following presentations:

·         The President of the Parliamentary Assembly, João Soares, opened the 18^th Annual Session.  Touching on the conference’s theme of energy security and the environment, he noted that the OSCE includes some of the largest producers and consumers of energy in the world.  Accordingly, the OSCE can play a key leadership role.  He also emphasises the link between energy security, environment and peaceful relations among states.  President Soares also noted the role that parliamentarians can play in continuing and deepening the dialogue on European security issues through what has been termed the Corfu process.

·         The President of the Hellenic Parliament, Dimitrios Sioufas, emphasised the role that parliamentarians play in promoting peace and cooperation in the OSCE region. With respect to the theme of the conference, he noted the importance of cooperation in building sustainable thinking and commitment for the upcoming Copenhagen Conference and also for the long-term.

·         The representative[6] of Greece’s Chairmanship-in-Office of the OSCE, Spyros Kouvelis, Deputy Foreign Minister, provided an overview of the priorities and the challenges faced by the Chairmanship.  These priorities include improving the strategic dialogue on European security issues, the situation in Georgia following the outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Georgia, and strengthening of the rule of law.

·         Head of the Hellenic Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Panayotis Skandalakis, focused on the relevance to the Mediterranean region of energy security and environmental issues, noting particular concern for rising water levels. He emphasised the role that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly plays in bringing long-term solutions of sustainable development to the problems of energy security and environment.

·         Petros Efthymiou, Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, noted the new political realities and social impact of climate change.  He emphasised the importance of unified action and political commitment to combat climate change, particularly in terms of finding cost-effective preventative measures.

2. Session I: Regional Co-operation in Energy Security

During this session, the participants heard from the following presenters:  Volodymyr Saprykin, Director of Energy Programmes of the Razumkov Centre for Economic and Political Studies of Ukraine; and Sergei Komlev, Head of the Contract Structuring and Price Formation Directorate of the Gazprom Export Company.

·         Volodymyr Saprykin focused on the “energy triangle” comprising Russia, Ukraine and the European Union countries, the challenges of decreasing energy consumption and diversifying energy supply as they relate to technological and commercial feasibility, and the competing interests of the countries and companies involved. Nonetheless, he concluded that, assisted by legislative reform and the liberalisation of the Ukrainian gas market, future gas wars can be avoided.

·         Sergei Komlev emphasised the important role that natural gas can play in addressing the energy concerns of many European countries, particularly as it is a clean fuel and highly competitive in terms of costs.  In this respect, energy supply solutions should be left to market-based principles.  He also addressed three perceived phobias relating to Gazprom, noting that Gazprom is not a tool of the Russian government, that Gazprom does not control Europe’s gas supply, and that Gazprom is a reliable supplier of gas, but Ukraine’s self-interests regarding paying market prices have distorted this image.  In conclusion he called for the strengthening of cooperation between Europe and Russia in order to improve their economies and living standards.

3. Session II: Climate and Environmental Policy – The Road to Copenhagen

During this session, the participants heard from the following presenters: Senator Benjamin Cardin (United States), OSCE PA Vice-President; and Dimitris Varvargios, former Vice-Chairman of the Special Permanent Committee on Environmental Protection of the Hellenic Parliament.

·         Senator Cardin emphasised the security-related effects of climate change, such as food scarcity and conflict in places where people are already struggling to cope.  He also touched on the added challenges world leaders are facing in coping with climate change in light of the economic crisis, highlighting that economic solutions must be part of climate change solutions.  He listed recent action taken by the U.S. Senate on climate change before committing to making the US a leader in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

·         Dimitris Varvargios focused on the importance of international action and cooperation to deal with climate change as it is has become a major threat to mankind.  He summarised some of the consequences of climate change that are already being felt in terms of changes to water levels, economic refugees, and reduced biodiversity.  He concluded that economic growth and climate change solutions are not incompatible, and that developing and developed countries must contribute to the solution.

4. Session III: Optimal Utilization of Natural Resources for Human Security

During this session, the participants heard from the following presenters:

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (Kazakhstan), OSCE PA Vice-President; Goran Svilanovic, Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities; Theodoros Pangalos, Vice-President of the Government of Greece and Chairman of the Political Committee of the European Security and Defense Assembly; and Charalambos Tsoutrelis, former Professor of Mining Engineering and President of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploitation.

·         In looking towards Kazakhstan’s upcoming Chairmanship of the OSCE, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev discussed efforts by Kazakhstan to focus on the development of renewable energy sources and mentioned that nuclear energy should be considered an option. He emphasised the challenges Central Asia faces regarding water management.  He also encouraged the review and development of a legal framework for water distribution and proposed that Kazakhstan host a research unit on water management.

·         Goran Svilanovic noted his support for key resolutions adopted at the OSCE PA’s Annual Session in Vilnius as they relate to the topic being discussed.  He emphasised the importance of cooperation in the sustainable use of resources, which can also be a useful confidence-building measure among former disputants.

·         Theodoros Pangalos looked at efforts which take place at different levels, i.e. local, state, national, regional and international, to address the different environmental concerns.  He added that governments and parliaments have important roles to play in changing habits in order to obtain more sustainable living patterns.

·         Charalambos Tsoutrelis focused on the particular challenges Greece was facing regarding ground water resources and possible solutions, such as irrigation and the registration of aquifers so that they may be more closely monitored, in order to ensure that the current situation does not become irreversible.

5. Closing Session

President Soares closed the inter-parliamentary conference by noting that long-term sustainability, energy security and environmental solutions must be viewed hand in hand.  He emphasised the interdependence among producers and consumers of energy and that all must agree to continue to dialogue in order to search for improved solutions and manage market manipulations.  He noted as well that strong political action is necessary, even in the midst of an economic crisis, in order to ensure long-term sustainability.  In particular, he highlighted that reviving the global economy is linked to energy security and better environmental policies.  He concluded that long-term sustainability is based on a future of energy diversification and the political will for alternate sources of energy.

B. Mediterranean Forum

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s annual Mediterranean Forum was chaired by Alcee Hastings (United States), OSCE PA Special Representative for Mediterranean Affairs.  In his opening remarks, Congressman Hastings reported on the seminar he hosted on OSCE Mediterranean Partner Engagement in July 2009 in Washington in order to renew the foundation upon which the partnership is based.  He highlighted the following four elements that favour such a renewal:  the need to overcome the fatigue that has resulted from the multiplicity of frameworks, greater ownership by the Partner states of the dialogue process, the need to increase funding for exchange programmes for diplomats and civil service from Mediterranean Partners, and the Mediterranean Dimension’s possible influence in the Middle East peace process.

Elsa Papadimitriou, Vice-President of the Hellenic Parliament, summarised recent efforts on the part of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in the Mediterranean area.  She emphasised the role of inter-parliamentary assemblies in generating solutions in areas such as economic and environmental cooperation in order to arrive at a more prosperous region.

Professor Sotiris Roussos, OSCE Chair-in-Office Personal Representative for the Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation, reported on some positive measures coming out of the Mediterranean region.  But he also noted that unemployment remains a problem that can only be addressed though improved trade and economic stimulation.  He called on the European countries to increase their levels of development to meet those in other regions such as South America.  He called for three elements to ensure the future of the Partnership:  flexibility in the areas chosen for activities, visibility of the process, and the realisation of tangible results.

The keynote address to the Mediterranean Forum was made by Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Secretary General of the OSCE.  He briefed the Parliamentary Assembly on recent developments relating to the OSCE Mediterranean dimension.  He explored ways to reinforce the Mediterranean dialogue through an enhanced parliamentary dimension and by reforming the working methods of the Contact Group in Vienna.  He also noted that the deepening and enlarging of the Partnership needed to be balanced.

1. Session on Trade and Economic Cooperation in the Mediterranean

This session was chaired by Senator Jerry Grafstein (Canada).  He offered remarks relating to the importance of economic cooperation in promoting peace and stability in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.  He emphasised that, given the large percentage of youth who are unemployed in the region, job creation is the key to fostering peace in the Middle East.

Miltiadis Makriyannis, Head of the Department for European Regional Cooperation and Partnerships of the Hellenic Parliament, echoed Senator Grafstein’s remarks in noting that political and economic solutions are necessary and interlinked in the context of peace and stability in the region.  To this end, greater involvement of the private sector as well as joint ventures of small and medium sized enterprises in the agriculture, energy, shipbuilding and tourism sectors may have particular benefits.

Yiannis Stournaras, Professor of Economics, University of Athens, Research Director of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research, noted that there are great prospects of cooperation and economic growth in the Mediterranean, considering that one-third of the global trade and one-quarter of the oil reserves are located in the region.  He pointed to the importance of enhancing cooperation in the area of technology, transport, culture and energy by introducing and implementing necessary reforms to support economic growth.  This reform effort also needs to be focused on the respect for human rights.

C. Standing Committee

President Soares, Chair of the Standing Committee, began with an overview of his upcoming activities, including preparations for Kazakhstan’s 2010 Chairmanship of the OSCE and his heading up of the PA’s observation of Ukraine’s January 2010 presidential elections.

The Standing Committee also heard the report of the Assembly’s Treasurer, Robert Battelli (Slovenia), who indicated that finances remain within the approved budget for the 17^th year in a row.

OSCE PA Secretary General, Spencer Oliver, reported that the Secretariat’s books were audited and that no problems were found by the external auditor.  He also gave special recognition to long-serving Assembly members, including Jerry Grafstein, who are soon leaving the Assembly.

Reports were also presented of recent election observation missions, including the presidential election in Kyrgyzstan and the parliamentary elections in Moldova.  The head of the Assembly’s mission to the parliamentary elections in Albania reported on his follow-up visit to that country.

The Standing Committee also heard reports from various Special Representatives of the OSCE PA, including from President Emeritus Goran Lennmarker (Sweden) on Nagorno-Karabakh and Special Envoy to Georgia, and Kimmo Kiljunen, Special Represenative for Central Asia. Roberto Battelli (Slovenia), Special Representative on South East Europe, and Walburga Hapsburg Douglas (Sweden), the Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Parliamentary Team on Moldova, reported on their planned activities. The Special Representative on Mediterranean Affairs, Alcee Hastings (United States), reported on a seminar he had hosted in Washington in July 2009 about the Mediterranean dimension. The Special Representative on Gender Issues, Tone Tingsgaard, updated Members on the gender balance in the OSCE, and reported on her participation in OSCE activities. There was also discussion during the meeting on the importance of reappointing a Special Representative on Migration.

The Secretary General of the OSCE, Ambassador Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, presented an overview of the OSCE draft budget, expressing his hope for its timely adoption notwithstanding the difficult financial circumstances facing many countries.

ACTIVITIES OF THE CANADIAN DELEGATION

The sessions of the Fall Meetings were attended by members of the Canadian delegation.  Their individual activities are listed accordingly:

-       Senator Consiglio Di Nino, Head of the Delegation:

-        held a bilateral meeting with the President of the Parliamentary Assembly and met with the Kyrgyzstan delegation as a follow-up to the July 2009 election observation mission which he headed.

-       Senator Jerry Grafstein:

-        chaired a session of the Mediterranean Forum and made opening remarks to that effect;

-        During the Closing Session, on the occasion of the Fall Meetings being his last OSCE PA meeting due to his upcoming retirement, Senator Grafstein was lauded by Secretary General Oliver for his longstanding service and commitment to the OSCE PA.

-       Mr. David Tilson, M.P.:

-        Mr. Tilson participated in subsequent debates on the following topics:

§  During the Session on Energy Security, he spoke about Canada’s recent domestic initiatives in promoting energy security.

§  During the Session on Climate Change and Environmental Policy – The Roadway to Copenhagen, he spoke about Canada’s domestic, continental and global contributions in reducing carbon emissions.

-       Mr. Peter Goldring, M.P.:

-        Mr. Goldring participated in subsequent debates on the following topics:

§  During the Session on Climate Change and Environmental Policy – The Roadway to Copenhagen, he spoke on the effect on the Arctic region of climate change

§  During the Session on Optimal Utilization of Natural Resources for Human Security, he spoke about the need for diversifying fuel sources and the role of technological development in managing energy supply

-       Madame Francine Lalonde, M.P.:

-        During the Session on Climate and Environmental Policy – the Road to Copenhagen, Madame Lalonde spoke about the role that technology can play in balancing resource exploration such as development of the oil sands with environmental protection efforts, as well as about the role that provincial and other sub-national governments can play in finding solutions to these issues.

-       Mr. Todd Russell, M.P.:

-        During the Session on Optimal Utilization of Natural Resources for Human Security, Mr. Russell spoke about the need to respect the rights and cultural demands of aboriginal communities as part of efforts to address climate change solutions.

The Fall Meetings of the OSCE PA addressed many topics which resonate with Canadians.  The Canadian delegation distinguished itself with its high quality and frequent participation by all members; this was acknowledged by many other delegations.  The Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA is certainly respected by its fellow delegates.

Respectfully submitted,