Finland avoids big disputes at launch of OSCE Chairmanship

Ilkka Kanerva

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Finland is going for a soft landing into everyday reality when Minister for Foreign Affairs Ilkka Kanerva (Nat. Coalition Party) officially opens Finland's term as holder of the Chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
     Kanerva is setting out Finland's priorities in Vienna at this year's first meeting of the Permanent Council of the OSCE. Kanerva's speech has been characterised as a statement that looks at Europe "from a slightly broader perspective".
     
"What is needed now is more constructive dialogue", said one diplomat, describing the Finnish policy line for its one-year chairmanship. At the beginning of the term, Finnish sources are describing prospects for the OSCE in somewhat more optimistic tones than representatives of many other countries have been doing.
     Another source emphasised that putting out revolutionary ideas is not generally part of diplomatic practice.
     "Matters have been prepared for and agreed upon with the key actors", the source said, describing the preparations made by Finland. In the OSCE context, key players usually mean Russia and the United States. The most important bones of contention in the OSCE are great power disputes.
     
Despite official optimism, Finland is clearly prepared for crises that are looming. Finnish embassies abroad have been instructed to take a common line, as determined by the President in the government's foreign and security policy committee.
     No major clashes are expected on Thursday yet, because it is not customary within the OSCE to bring up disputes in the same session of the Permanent Council where the foreign minister of the new holder of the Chairmanship speaks.
     "Normal everyday work of the OSCE is delayed by a week", the diplomat said.
     
After that, there will no lack of topics in the organisation linking 56 member states. The OSCE does not yet have a budget for this year, its biggest operation in Kosovo is in serious jeopardy, Russia is continuing its attempts to undermine the OSCE's election monitoring system, and the only significant military treaty drawn up within the OSCE has stalled.
     The OSCE's French Secretary General, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut does not see any significant changes in the atmosphere prevailing in the organisation in recent months.
     He says, however, that political disputes have meant that traditional disagreements affecting the organisation "have become somewhat more acute".
     
Of the acute disputes, attempts are currently underway to resolve disagreements on the budget. Both Russia and the United States are trying to slash what is already a rather modest sum of money to a level that is more compatible with their own wishes.
     Diplomats do not expect the disputes to pose a real threat to the OSCE before May, when temporary financial arrangements run out.
     A nervous waiting game is underway with respect to Kosovo and election monitoring. The mandate of the OSCE observers in Kosovo is likely to end when the province declares independence from Serbia.
     Russia has already rejected the OSCE's request to begin preparations for monitoring of the Presidential elections in March.
     Finnish sources admit that as holder of the Chairmanship, Finland "will not be able to work miracles" in these matters.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  NEWS ANALYSIS: Kosovo and Russian elections overshadow Finnish chairmanship of OSCE (29.12.2007)

Links:
  OSCE Press release: New OSCE Chairman to outline priorities for 2008

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