VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #0799 3280030
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 240026Z NOV 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 5729
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 5568

UNCLAS STATE 120799 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL OSCE
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: LOOKING TO ATHENS 
 
¶1. (U) Post is authorized to deliver the following statement 
at the November 24, 2009, meeting of the OSCE Permanent 
Council in Vienna. 
 
Begin text: 
 
Thank you, Madam Chair. 
 
The United States is deeply committed to this organization, 
and to the principles and commitments enshrined in the 
Helsinki Final Act and other jointly agreed documents.  We 
value the OSCE,s comprehensive concept of security, and 
believe it is precisely this multi-dimensional approach that 
makes the OSCE an essential element of our security 
architecture. 
 
At our Ministerial in Athens, we hope to see a reaffirmation 
of our existing commitments, particularly those relating to 
the promotion of democracy, human rights, and fundamental 
freedoms.  Fulfilling our commitments in these areas is 
critical to long-term peace and prosperity across the OSCE 
region.  There is a direct link between individual and 
inter-state security. 
 
We hope also to reach agreement on sustaining the Corfu 
Process dialogue.  As the most inclusive security 
organization in Europe and Eurasia, the OSCE clearly is the 
best place for these discussions.  Our dialogue thus far has 
shown that the full implementation of existing commitments 
across the three dimensions would bring about a marked 
improvement in security.  It is time now to consider 
practical ways of better implementing our commitments, and of 
strengthening the OSCE,s capacity to exercise its core 
crisis prevention and conflict resolution mandate, 
particularly in light of the recent return of military 
conflict to the OSCE region. 
 
In future Corfu Process discussions, we would like to see an 
emphasis on the key areas identified from our last ten weeks 
of discussions, with an eye to making concrete progress on 
improving implementation of OSCE commitments in all three 
dimensions; the strengthening of democracy and the rule of 
law; the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms; 
the improvement of the OSCE,s conflict prevention and 
resolution capabilities; the intensification of efforts to 
address transnational threats and cross-dimensional 
challenges; and ways to create or more effectively use 
existing OSCE mechanisms and instruments across the 
organization,s three dimensions. 
 
We firmly believe additional dialogue and practical 
approaches are needed, and would welcome at the Athens 
Ministerial a declaration and decision on the continuation of 
the Corfu process.  Before committing to hold a high-level 
meeting, though, the participating States need to work 
together, through the Corfu Process and in other OSCE venues, 
to achieve some concrete results in each of the three 
dimensions.  We believe that only then should the 
participating States consider the question of the timing of 
such a meeting.  We would welcome an overall political 
declaration that forcefully addresses key issues, especially 
where key principles and values are at stake. 
 
Indeed, no European security regime can be truly effective 
unless it is based on shared principles and values.  In our 
founding documents, we jointly committed to these values, 
including respect for democracy, human rights, and 
fundamental freedoms, territorial integrity, and the right of 
sovereign states to determine their own security 
arrangements.  The August 2008 war in Georgia and the 
persistence of unresolved conflicts in the OSCE region 
demonstrate that we clearly have work to do.  In Athens, we 
look forward, not only to reaffirm our existing commitments, 
but to look for ways to strengthen and improve our 
implementation of them. 
 
Thank you, Madam Chair. 
 
END TEXT 
CLINTON