Statement
at the Security Model Committee,
March 14, 1996

Mr. Chairman,

On behalf of the Delegations of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine I would like to share our views on a follow-up work in this Committee. The Lisbon Declaration on a common and comprehensive security model is going to be a guiding line in our joint efforts to establish a common security foundation acceptable for each and every State. In this regard the security concerns of our countries should be taken into account in the course of the processes undergoing in Europe and aimed at enhancing the security arrangements and establishing the new ones.

While working over security model our Delegations had suggested various ideas and made a number of proposals, which were partly reflected in the Lisbon Declaration. New proposals and ideas have emerged in this Committee since then and we are considering them carefully so as not to miss a historic chance to have our views and concerns addressed during the discussions and reflected later in the crucially important documents. The effective and verifiable observance of the time-tested OSCE principles which are as viable today, as they were in 1975, should constitute the basis of this process.

Guided by this aim, we deem it necessary to make an emphasis on the following:

– while creating a new security system one should proceed from the reality that our countries are not members of the existing politico-military arrangements. The cooperation between existing security organizations, and such organizations and individual States must take into account the interests and security concerns of the States non-members of these arrangements;

– promoting strict observance of the existing OSCE principles and commitments is of a paramount importance. Accordingly, establishment of a specific mechanism is needed that would ensure their strict and meticulous observance and provide for the OSCE's efficient concerted actions in cases of non-compliance. Any new commitments should be based on the Helsinki Final Act which has to remain a cornerstone of a future security system. The lack of the OSCE's proper efficiency to cope today with the burning issues with regard to the violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity makes it a matter of great urgency;

– efforts to strengthen the OSCE's efficiency in conflict prevention and crisis management should envisage the introduction of various measures of a compulsory nature into the OSCE's peacekeeping instruments within the provisions of Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. Such powers could significantly enhance the OSCE's real ability to ensure mandatory compliance with its own principles and decisions;

– referring to security cooperation among international organizations, it should be emphasized that establishment and development of such cooperation should be based on the consent of their member States. The indivisibility and comprehensive nature of security in Europe must be understood as the aggregate security of all and each individual OSCE participating States.

Our Delegations are ready to actively participate in the elaboration of a Charter on European Security, and the approaches outlined above will enable us to map the way ahead.