PRESS RELEASE

OSCE Chair Lajčák kicks off 26th Ministerial Council with his ‘Bratislava Appeal’; calls for increased flexibility and willingness to compromise

BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019 – Ahead of the official opening of the 26^th Ministerial Council this morning, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Miroslav Lajčák, shared his ‘Bratislava Appeal’.

The Appeal, an informal initiative of Chairperson Lajčák, addresses foreign ministers from across the OSCE area. Recalling that the Helsinki Final Act was signed nearly 45 years ago to spur dialogue and co-operation, foster respect for human rights, and boost economic and social progress, the Appeal acknowledges the increasingly complex security landscape facing states today. While it stresses that the OSCE’s principles and commitments must remain at the core of efforts towards co-operative security, it calls for the Organization’s practical tools and mechanisms, which continue to evolve and adapt, to be harnessed in order to ensure effective results for people.

Through his Appeal, the Chairperson notes that the OSCE’s consensus-based decision-making process can only be effective if based on a shared pursuit of compromise. Calling for increased flexibility and willingness to make concessions, he underlines that it could serve to broaden interactive dialogue, and to ensure that the hopes, expectations and well-being of people are prioritized above political objectives.

“This appeal isn’t anything new or radical. Instead, what I am saying is very simple: that this Organization is worth fighting for,” said Lajčák. “It has strong principles and commitments, which, if implemented, could ensure security in our region. And, it has both vital traditional and emerging mechanisms and tools at its disposal. We don’t have to create anything new; we just need to use what is there. And, the best way to do that is to move away from a zero-sum game of diplomacy, based on our own political objectives, towards dialogue that can actually lead us to a compromise. But if we fail to do so, it’s a failure of us all.”

The Bratislava Appeal draws the attention of high-level policy makers to the threats currently facing multilateralism, arguing that increased support to the OSCE would help to reverse this trend.

“More and more leaders are speaking out in support of multilateralism. This is great to hear. But we need to match our words with tangible actions. Investing in the OSCE – whether politically or financially – is one way to do this. We must ensure that this unique dialogue platform – created, against the odds, during the Cold War, and as crucial as ever in today’s changing landscape – has the best chance possible at producing solutions that could make a difference in the lives of people,” Chairperson Lajčák concluded.

The full text of the Bratislava Appeal:

The Bratislava Appeal of the Chairperson-in-Office to Ministers of Foreign Affairs of OSCE participating States

I – as the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia and the current Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) – recall that the Helsinki Final Act was signed nearly 45 years ago to create a new era of dialogue, co-operation, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, economic and social progress, and security for all.

Some of the threats and challenges facing us today have persisted from that time; others are emerging in new or evolving forms. People continue to suffer from conflicts and crises. Mistrust and divergent security perceptions serve to exacerbate vulnerabilities and risks. Against this backdrop, violations of international law and failures to implement our commonly agreed principles and commitments represent the most fundamental security challenge of all.

As the most inclusive and comprehensive regional security organization in the world, which continues to provide a unique forum for open dialogue, preventing and settling conflicts, building mutual understanding, and fostering co-operation, the OSCE, I believe, has stood the test of time.

I recognize that the Organization has at its core a comprehensive set of norms, principles and commitments, and also has practical instruments, tools and mechanisms, which continue to adapt and evolve, at its disposal. The OSCE’s principles and commitments are not open for re-negotiation and must remain at the core of our work to prevent conflict and foster stability for people throughout the OSCE area. We must, however, ensure that our rich toolbox, as well as strong commitments, are used towards effective results for all.

I believe that real, interactive and solutions-based dialogue must be the basis of any such efforts. The OSCE is a platform for dialogue among diverse states; its consensus decisions are a result of extensive and inclusive consultations. Yet, it can only be effective if - while fully respecting our principles and commitments – it is based on a shared pursuit of compromise.

A failure to reach consensus is a failure of us all – we who are accountable to our citizens and responsible to each other for the full implementation of the OSCE’s norms, principles and commitments.

I therefore call for increased flexibility and willingness to compromise in order to broaden and strengthen our interactive dialogue; to put the hopes, expectations and well-being of our people before our own political objectives; to focus on finding what unites us rather than divides us; and to harness the OSCE as the unique forum for open dialogue and joint action it was created to be.

We must also understand that the Organization is not operating in a vacuum; it is but one actor in a diverse multilateral eco-system. We therefore must reaffirm the need for the OSCE to build on its unique strengths, expertise and capabilities, and to serve as a platform for the promotion of effective multilateralism in an era when it is under increasing threat. I believe this is particularly crucial in order to ensure a safer future in a shifting multilateral landscape, wherein the blend of complex threats and opportunities requires us to work together – arguably closer than ever before.

This is my assessment; this is my appeal.

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