667th Meeting of the Permanent Council
The European Union warmly welcomes Ambassador Müller to the Permanent Council and thanks him for his informative report. The EU welcomes the strong and productive relationship between the OSCE and the government of Kyrgyzstan, to which the multi- and cross-dimensional work of Ambassador Müller and his team has contributed significantly.
The European Union has followed with attention recent developments in the struggle for constitutional reform. We welcome the Kyrgyz authorities’ commitment to fulfil OSCE standards by allowing demonstrators to express their views - a credible manifestation that freedom of assembly is more than a word in Kyrgyzstan. At the same time we note with concern instances of violence between the opposition and government forces. We hope that a real dialogue will take place between all political actors, motivated by the common will to shape the future of the country peacefully and constructively. We are pleased to learn about the positive measures undertaken in the judicial system as well as towards increased independence of the media. We also welcome the recent nomination of judges of the constitutional court, which is an important step to overcome the current impasse.
In this context we value the OSCE’s important contribution to supporting the efforts by the Kyrgyz Republic to move towards political and economic stability. The EU fully supports the priorities of the work of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the Field Office in Osh in all three dimensions. As to the Programme Outline 2008, we welcome the intentions of the Kyrgyz government to strengthen cooperation in the area of counter terrorism activities, penitentiary reform and the fight against organized crime. We also support efforts to strengthen OSCE activities in the regions outside Bishkek, among others, against human trafficking, on cross border migration, on ethnic reconciliation and on border and water management.
Looking at the various areas of activity, the EU commends the Centre for its excellent work in the Police Reform Programme. We are convinced that the police training has contributed to facilitating the exercise of the aforementioned freedom of assembly. This programme is a genuine contribution to promoting stability and democratisation in the country by building confidence and decreasing tensions between law enforcement bodies and the population. In the context of border management we encourage continued close co-ordination with the EU BOMCA programme using existing co-ordination structures.
We welcome the Centre’s work activities to promote the freedom of the media such as its support for the Institute of the Media Commissioner and the Institute for Public Policy. We took note of recent incidents in connection with opposition newspapers and we encourage the Kyrgyz authorities to work together with the Centre to further improve the situation with regard to the freedom of the media.
Concerning the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, the EU applauds its continued success as a truly regional educational institution. Education with an international focus is of vital importance for future decision-makers, and we are pleased to learn about the keen interest in the various programmes offered. We trust that the Kyrgyz authorities will do their utmost to settle outstanding administrative issues in order to allow for the accreditation of the Master’s programme.
We welcome the intensified efforts in the economic and environmental dimension and the Centre’s work towards good governance and the fight against corruption. Moreover, we are pleased with the Centre’s activities to increase environmental awareness and to improve waste management, as well as water management and disaster preparedness. Especially with regard to the latter we encourage the Centre to continue working closely with other international actors to optimize utilisation of resources.
The European Union notes with satisfaction the manifold activities in the human dimension, as outlined by Ambassador Müller. We strongly encourage the Centre to continue with its various activities in the human dimension, in particular those relating to legal and institutional reform. All of these measures contribute to the security of the people of Kyrgyzstan.
On a more general note we are pleased with the enhanced co-operation of the Centre both with other international actors and with the institutions of the OSCE. We welcome the Centre’s efforts to increase co-ordination among the various actors by organising joint planning workshops, which have led to more focussed overall programming to meet the challenges in the host country. We encourage other field missions to consider a similar approach.
In conclusion we would like to thank Ambassador Müller again for his comprehensive report. He and his dedicated staff will continue to have our support, and we encourage them to continue assisting their Kyrgyz partners in the pursuit of genuine and lasting progress.
The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldovaalign themselves with this statement.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
