2002 press releases

Belarus Cooperation with OSCE "Clearly Lacking," U.S. Says (May 16, 2002) 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

We share your disappointment with the message that we have just heard from Belarus -- a message not just for you, but for the entire Permanent Council.

Mr. Chairman, let me say at the outset that you have demonstrated exceptional perseverance and exceptional good faith in your efforts to forge continued cooperation between the OSCE and Belarus. Your appointment of Ambassador Heiken as a Special Envoy to Belarus, your participation in extensive consultations with Belarus over the work of the Advisory and Monitoring Group (AMG), and your presentation for consideration by this Council of Belarus' own draft decision on consultations all reflect this good faith.

Yet it seems to us that while Belarus has professed equal commitment to cooperation, it has not demonstrated that at all. In fact, it has spurned every opportunity to forge a continued or even a modified relationship. It has rejected your appointment of Ambassador Heiken; it has expelled the Acting Head of Mission and it appears that it intends to expel the Political Officer of the AMG; and, as we have seen today, it continues to reject consideration of the AMG among the "further forms of cooperation" it suggests with the OSCE.

This latest development to us is particularly striking when we note that just three weeks ago, at the April 25 Permanent Council, Ambassador Gaisenak himself said, "we expect an official decision of the OSCE Permanent Council to be taken on the holding of consultations to review the mandate of the AMG." We would also note that just five months ago, Belarus itself introduced a decision to "streamline the activities of the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in Belarus within its respective mandate." Apparently, notwithstanding what Belarus has itself said in the recent past, it is no longer interested in either the AMG or its mandate.

Mr. Chairman, the United States continues to believe that the OSCE, through its mission in Belarus, can and should serve as a bridge for Belarus to integrate itself more fully into the international community, which I believe is a goal that we all share. We support your efforts to continue cooperation with Belarus. However, in our opinion, cooperation requires two partners and this kind of cooperation is clearly lacking today.

We, therefore, call upon Belarus to cooperate with the OSCE and its mission in Belarus. Unless such a change occurs, we must conclude that Belarus has rejected the path of cooperation. It will then be up to us, the international community, to decide how to respond.

Thank you very much.