Interview with Douglas Wake, outgoing Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia
An experienced diplomat, Douglas Wake has devoted most of his 25-year career to issues relating to European security, human rights, transition in Central Europe and Eurasia, and to multilateral organizations. His connection with the "Helsinki process" dates back to the 1980s, when he served as U.S. delegate to the Vienna Follow-Up Meeting of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, the OSCE's precursor.
In this interview, he reflects on nearly two years of service with the OSCE and shares his impressions on the Organization's role and future.
In your view, what are the Mission's main achievements during your time in office?
First of all, we have helped partners in the host country to deal with the legacy of past conflicts more openly and constructively. We've helped develop the capacity of local institutions to prosecute and try persons accused of committing war crimes in the 1990s, and we've played a role in the still very difficult process of promoting refugee integration and return.
In the area of promoting stability and security, I would point to the Mission's presence on the ground in the southern Serbian municipalities of Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja. All partners tell us that the role we have played there has been critical to promoting better communication and co-operation among central government authorities in Belgrade, municipal government officials, and other political leaders in these multiethnic communities. I would also venture to say that the OSCE Mission played an important role behind the scenes in ensuring that the referendum in Montenegro on 21 May was carried out in a peaceful manner under agreed rules.
We have assisted our host country counterparts with developing a significant amount of reform-oriented legislation that is now in force, and we are currently making progress in helping to build the capacity of local institutions to implement that legislation. This applies to such areas as police, prison and judicial reform as well as human and national minority rights, media policy and free access to information. We've also had some success in strengthening parliamentary work, including oversight of defence and security services.
Of course there have also been disappointments, such as the recently adopted law on churches and religious organizations, which includes provisions we believe to be inconsistent with international standards. We have also been troubled by some actions taken by the Council of the Republican Broadcasting Agency, which has not been sufficiently transparent or professional in exercising its responsibilities for regulation and licencing of television and radio stations.
And there are areas where I wish our efforts had been followed up more quickly, for example through adoption of a law on non-governmental organizations that was carefully negotiated with relevant NGOs. I also hope we will soon see the Parliament appoint a qualified "Protector of Citizens" (Ombudsperson) to implement a law that has already been adopted.
What are the key changes that you have seen in Serbia and Montenegro since you have been in Belgrade?
Of course the most significant change, in formal terms, was the establishment of Montenegro as an independent state after the referendum in May. For Serbia this has also been an important development, and it is extremely important that the transition has been without any serious complications.
On the issues of European integration and co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), I have seen positive steps over the past two years, as well as significant problems. The transfer to The Hague of several senior former officials indicted for war crimes in the first part of 2005 and the positive feasibility study from the EU, as well as the launching of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), were all developments that point the way toward Serbia's European future. The suspension of the SAA talks in connection with ICTY co-operation is a reminder that Serbia's future is still burdened by issues from the past. The sooner these issues can be resolved positively, the better it will be for Serbia and for Europe.
How do you see the future of the Mission?
One of the unusual features of the OSCE is that Missions have mandates that must be renewed every year but that they seek to promote transition processes which are by nature long-term. As long as the OSCE Permanent Council is willing to provide resources and Serbia continues to welcome the Mission's presence, my best estimate is that the OSCE Mission to Serbia will be able to play a useful role for five or more years. While other OSCE Missions have been working to promote reform and stability in Southeast Europe for more than a decade, it is important in this context to remember that this Mission could only be established in early 2001, shortly after the fall of Slobodan Milosevic. I would not try to predict developments in either Belgrade or Vienna, but I would certainly caution against any hasty decisions affecting the mandate and scope of Mission activities.
What are the most memorable impressions you will take with you?
As a general impression, I will always remember the tremendous professionalism of the Mission staff and the support that has been given to me, both by the staff and by our host country counterparts.
As a very specific impression, I recently visited a polling station in the South Serbian village of Veliki Trnovac at the end of a hotly contested election for the mayor and the assembly of the municipality of Bujanovac. The extended polling board was made up of more than a dozen ethnic Albanian, Serbian and Roma representatives of parties holding widely divergent political views. Despite their differences, as well as the late hour and the summer heat, they all took their responsibilities seriously, co-operating to count and double-check the results, then signing a protocol to agree that each vote had been properly recorded. In a place that has seen political violence - all too recently - I saw this as a small but symbolically important demonstration of the kind of respect for democratic processes that OSCE is seeking to promote.
What advice would you give to your successor?
The OSCE Mission to Serbia is a complicated organization, with almost 200 Mission members in several locations. Its people are its greatest asset, but good communication and co-ordination are essential to make the team work effectively. Similarly, the OSCE does not operate in a vacuum. The Mission needs to be in constant contact with its local and international partners to ensure that the OSCE provides the greatest possible added value.