OSCE Chairman-in-Office offers OSCE help for Chechnya conflict

VIENNA, 5 January 1995 - The Hungarian Ministry for Foreign Affairs issued the following press release today:

Hungarian Foreign Minister László Kovács, the Chairman-in-Office (CiO) of the OSCE, has closely followed the tragic events in Chechnya, the Russian Federation. He is convinced that the crisis should be solved in full respect for the territorial integrity of Russia, on the basis of the Russian Constitution and the principles of the OSCE. He has informed the Russian Leadership of his position at the early stage of the crisis and made serious efforts in order to solicit the support of the Russian Government for the involvement of the OSCE in its settlement.

Parallel to this, the CiO has had continuous consultations with the Presidency of the European Union and its member States, representatives of the United States and other participating States, in order to ascertain the position of the OSCE community regarding the participation of the OSCE in the process of resolving the conflict. He took note with satisfaction of the fact that the views of the OSCE community fully coincided with the position of the CiO and registered the high expectations and firm support manifested towards the positions and activities of the CiO.

As a result of intensive consultations, the Hungarian ambassador in Moscow, accompanied by the ambassadors of Switzerland and Italy, representing the two other members of the OSCE Troika, conducted negotiations today in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and expressed the position of the CiO concerning the crisis. He offered the help of the OSCE for the settlement of the conflict and called the attention of the Russian Government to the position of the OSCE participating States according to which the solution of the problems in Chechnya should be found in conformity with the commitments undertaken within the OSCE.

The CiO highly appreciates the fact that the Russian Government reacted positively to this initiative and invited the Personal Representative of the CiO to discuss how the OSCE could contribute to the settlement of the conflict. Responding to this invitation, the Ambassador Istvan Gyarmati, the Personal Representative of OSCE CiO, Foreign Minister Kovács, will travel to Russia on 9 January 1995. Upon the conclusion of his talks, he will report to the CiO and then inform the Permanent Council of the OSCE on 12 January, 1995.

Vienna, 5 January 1995 - Hungarian Foreign Minister László Kovács, the Chairman-in-Office (CiO) of the OSCE, issued the following statement today:

The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE has followed with growing concern the events in Chechnya, the Russian Federation. He deems it necessary to declare, in conformity with the principles of the OSCE, his full support for the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, which he views as the only possible framework within which the crisis can be solved in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE condemns the serious violations of human rights in Chechnya. He is convinced that this conflict poses a serious threat not only to the security of the Russian Federation but of the whole region and the continent as well. Therefore he calls for the immediate stop of the military operations, which have already taken a heavy toll of human life and have brought about huge destruction. The cessation of hostilities would make it possible to start negotiations which is the only acceptable way to solve the conflict in accordance with the principles of the OSCE.

The OSCE is ready also in this conflict to contribute to the settlement of the crisis and to the elimination of its consequences. The Chairman-in-Office recalls that the OSCE has a number of means at its disposal which can be used to allow to find a satisfactory negotiated solution. He welcomes the readiness of the Russian Federation to launch a political dialogue in the framework of the OSCE and sincerely hopes that the Russian Federation will take appropriate further measures to strengthen cooperation with the OSCE, aimed at the early solution of the crisis.