Kanerva: Finland ready for new tasks in Kosovo

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A path appears to be opening up for continued activities in Kosovo of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. At the same time, slight progress has been reported in the political disputes that have paralysed preparations of the OSCE budget, and the revival of the treaty on conventional weapons no longer appears to be as hopeless as it once had seemed.
      A glimmer of hope shone on the cluster of crises threatening the OSCE on Thursday when Finland presented the goals for its one year Chairmanship of the OSCE at the first meeting of the organisation's Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday.
      Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ilkka Kanerva (Nat. Coalition Party) declared his optimism in his speech to the OSCE Council.
     
Kanerva insisted that he has faith in the preservation of the role of the OSCE in moulding security in an expanded Europe.
      Cautiously reconciliatory statements on the disputes within the OSCE were to Helsingin Sanomat made by Russia's OECD Ambassador Alexei Burudavkin.
     
Russia now accepts the idea of zero growth in the OSCE budget, but also wants more say in the use of funding. Previously, Russia wanted sharp cuts in the budget. In practice, greater control over budget funds has meant a trend away from activities monitoring the implementation of democracy and human rights.
      There was also a slight improvement in the prospects for OSCE monitoring of Russia's Presidential elections. The Ambassador said that Russia will send an invitation to the monitors in late January.
      Diplomats say that this does not automatically mean that Russia will allow OSCE monitors, or an assessment group into the country, as separate decisions would be made for that.
      On Kosovo, Burudavkin said that Russia will not oppose negotiations on a new role for the OSCE in Kosovo after a possible unilateral declaration of independence - if Serbia asks for such talks.
     
The OSCE's role in Kosovo is to monitor compliance with the protection of minorities. The difference between the OSCE and other actors such as the EU and NATO is that Russia or Serbia can block decisions by the 56-member organisation, where all decisions are made by consensus.
      Under a decision reached in late December, the OSCE mandate in Kosovo is to be extended by one month at a time; a new role needs to be negotiated if a member state cuts off the mandate.
     
Finland is ready for new tasks in securing the stability of Kosovo, Kanerva says. He said that he believes that the OSCE can continue its activities in Kosovo after a possible unilateral declaration of independence.
      Finland has 450 peacekeepers in Kosovo, as well as dozens of civilian observers.
      "Finland is ready to take responsibility if some kind of an international steering group is set up after a unilateral declaration of independence", Kanerva says. The establishment of a steering group is part of a plan drawn up by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, but its possible composition is unclear, because no agreement has been reached on the future of Kosovo within the UN.
     
On the conventional weapons talks, Kanerva said that he had discussed possible new ways of reviving the treaty, which was put on ice by Russia in December. Burudavkin praised the willingness of the West to negotiate.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland avoids big disputes at launch of OSCE Chairmanship (10.1.2008)
  NEWS ANALYSIS: Kosovo and Russian elections overshadow Finnish chairmanship of OSCE (29.12.2007)

Helsingin Sanomat