OSCE CiO and Russian Foreign Minister discuss Moldova and other Chairmanship priorities

NEW YORK, 25 September 2003 - The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Netherlands Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, said on Wednesday that Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov had expressed interest in the Chairmanship's ideas about the central theme and the organization of the Maastricht Ministerial Council meeting, to be held on 1 and 2 December.

"The Netherlands Chairmanship intends to focus the Maastricht ministerial meeting on the new security threats of the 21st century and I am pleased that Foreign Minister Ivanov today supported this idea", said the OSCE Chairman, in New York to attend the UN General Assembly.

"Maastricht should also be the moment when the 55 participating States of the OSCE will hopefully reach agreement on a number of other important issues for the Dutch Chairmanship, such as the OSCE's role in combating the trafficking of human beings and making progress in the resolution of regional conflicts.

"The mediation efforts of the OSCE to find a political solution in Moldova was one topic in my discussions with Foreign Minister Ivanov", added the OSCE Chairman. "We agreed on continuing our joint mediation efforts and on the need to remove all obstacles for a successful outcome, including the immediate resumption of the removal of ammunition from Transdniestria."

In his talks with the Russian Foreign Minister, the OSCE Chairman also expressed concern about the electoral climate in Chechnya, ahead of the 5 October presidential elections.

"In order for the Chechen population to accept the legitimacy of the elections, it is important that minimum international standards are observed," said the OSCE Chairman, adding it was regrettable that regular election observation by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights was not possible.

The OSCE Chairman also followed up on a previous meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister concerning longer-term OSCE project activities in Chechnya: "I believe it is in the interests of both the OSCE and Russia to step up our efforts in this regard. We agreed to come back to this issue in the very near future", he said.