The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Poland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau, concluded his first official visit as OSCE Chairman to Moscow on 15 February. Earlier, on 11 February, he has paid a visit to Ukraine to achieve a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis.
During his meeting with the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, the Chairman-in-Office emphasized the need to continue a constructive dialogue based on the principles of international law and engagement in existing OSCE mechanisms, to reduce tensions in the region. He also pointed out the potential benefits of the recently presented concept of the Renewed European Security Dialogue.
“The Renewed Dialogue which I presented in Vienna on 8 February is an important initiative by the Polish OSCE Chairmanship amidst the current tense security situation in the region. I hope that Russia will actively engage in this initiative,” said Minister Rau.
“I believe that this initiative represents an opportunity to revitalize the OSCE and strengthen its importance within the European security architecture. That is why I hope that Russia will support the Chairmanship’s efforts in this respect,” added Minister Rau.
The initiative is an effort to dialogue on both practical security aspects as well as conceptual matters, including the interpretation of the principles of comprehensive and indivisible security, the importance of which was raised by Russia during recent meetings.
“Naturally, the tense security situation in eastern Ukraine, including the build-up of military forces along its borders, continues to be a priority topic for the Polish Chairmanship. As OSCE Chair, we support the efforts of the Trilateral Contact Group, as well as the negotiators of the Normandy Format, to reinvigorate conflict resolution efforts and break the deadlock in negotiations. Progress needs to be made to the local population can finally enjoy lasting stability and security in their daily lives,” said the OSCE Chairman-in-Office.
Moreover, Minister Rau stressed the need to make sure that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) can operate without restrictions and fulfill its mandate.
Chairman-in-Office Rau also met with Russian civil society representatives and human rights experts. “As the OSCE Chairman, I will spare no effort to make sure that the human dimension of the OSCE should not be overshadowed by other issues. Respect for the rights of individuals is a guarantee of peace,” he underscored.
During his visit to Kiev, Minister Rau met with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba. In his meeting with the President, the Chairman-in-Office Rau underlined the significance of the OSCE Chairmanship’s Renewed European Security Dialogue initiative. The discussion between Rau and Kuleba focused on the de-escalation of tensions in and around Ukraine, on improving the humanitarian situation of communities affected by conflict, and on the measures taken to reach a balanced and peaceful solution through all available formats, including the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG). Reiterating the Chairmanship’s support, Minister Rau emphasized that the Minsk agreements must be fully implemented.
“My first visit to Ukraine as the OSCE Chairman-in-Office is a firm expression of the Polish Chairmanship’s primary concern with supporting efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the crisis and bring it to an end,” said Minister Rau.
Minister Rau also met with OSCE representatives in Ukraine, namely Ambassador Yaşar H. Çevik, Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine; Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen, Special Representative of the Chairman-in-Office in Ukraine and the Trilateral Contact Group; and Ambassador Henrik Villadsen, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.
During the meeting, Minister Rau expressed his full support for the work of the TCG and the SMM and voiced concern over the inadmissible restrictions on the freedom of movement faced by the SMM, especially in Ukraine’s non-government-controlled areas. He pointed out that the persisting restrictions pose a serious challenge for the Mission’s ability to fulfill its mandate.
He also met with Florence Gillette, representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk. The meeting with Florence Gillette was an opportunity to express gratitude to ICRC for providing humanitarian aid in hard-to-reach locations within conflict-affected areas, and to recall Poland’s long-standing cooperation with the ICRC in Ukraine. Minister Rau and Deputy Prime Minister Vereshchuk discussed the negative impact of the conflict on civilians and possible steps to alleviate their hardship and support them.
Minister Rau also traveled to Kharkiv and visited the SMM’s office. Minister Rau also met with participants at an OSCE training event – “Development and Implementation of Information Security Management System (ISMS)” – dealing with combatting cybercrime, organized by the OSCE for Ukrainian police officers.