Moscow is critical of OSCE for the insufficient attention it pays to military-political and economic activities

Thursday, April 9, 2020

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Moscow is critical of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for the insufficient attention it pays to military-political and economic activities, the Russian Foreign Ministry's official spokesman said Friday. Russia and others have long accused the OSCE of bias, poor governance and lack of initiative. In mid-2004, they called for sweeping reforms of the 55-nation grouping, which also monitors elections, human rights, arms proliferation, and democracy. Russia has repeatedly called for a more active approach by the organization in the fight against terrorism and illicit arms production and sales, and has criticized the OSCE for focusing on secondary issues instead of resolving key security problems. Speaking about OSCE reforms ahead of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's participation in a session of the organization's Council of Foreign Ministers in Brussels December 4-5, Mikhail Kamynin said the OSCE should shift its priorities from humanitarian to military-political and economic activities, and should give more attention to countries located "east of Vienna." Kamynin said the organization should "focus on the key problems of new challenges and threats, and should use to the maximum its original comprehensive approach to security." He also said reforms should cover the organization's institutions, some of which "claim autonomy from member states," and should ensure the priority of collective intergovernmental bodies. Kamynin said some OSCE members are satisfied with the organization's drawbacks, adding that such a position is "a convenient environment to exercise unilateral influence on other organization members and to attempt to reform their societies and policies according to standards imposed from outside." He did not name any specific countries, but said that Moscow cannot accept that approach, and will insist on further reforms of the organization in 2007 and years to come.

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