OSCE Chairman pledges support for democracy and stability in Ukraine

KYIV, 5 January 2005 - The new OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, pledged the Organization's continued support for strengthening democracy and stability in Ukraine in talks with the country's political leaders on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On his first official trip since Slovenia took over the OSCE Chairmanship from Bulgaria on January 1, the Chairman-in-Office met President-elect Viktor Yushchenko, Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, the Speaker of Parliament, Volodymyr Lytvyn, and a leading parliamentarian, Julia Timoshenko.

Minister Rupel said the OSCE, which mounted its largest-ever election observation mission for the repeat second round of the presidential elections on December 26, continued to follow developments in Ukraine closely.

"I wanted to come here as soon as possible to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people and to demonstrate the importance which the OSCE attaches to a democratic and stable Ukraine, at the heart of the OSCE community, which enjoys good relations with its neighbours," he told President-elect Yushchenko, who interrupted his holiday in the Carpathian mountains of western Ukraine to meet the OSCE Chairman.

Minister Rupel praised the remarkable dedication of the Ukrainian people to the democratic process and expressed his admiration for the fact that the recent political crisis had been resolved without violence.

The Chairman-in-Office said the 55-nation OSCE hoped to build on its co-operation with Ukraine in a number of areas including election assistance, freedom of the media, education, fighting human trafficking, protecting national minorities, strengthening border security and disposing of ammunition and small arms stockpiles.

In the economic dimension, the Organization aimed to expand activities such as training entrepreneurs and helping to attract foreign direct investment.

During the visit, the Chairman-in-Office thanked the Head of the OSCE Election Observation Mission, Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens, for a successful assignment. "The eyes of the world were on Ukraine for a month and the role of the OSCE election observers in the process was pivotal," he said.

Minister Rupel stressed the objective and impartial nature of OSCE election observation missions. "We are not in the business of favouring one side or another, we are interested in fair, honest and democratic election processes," he added.

The Chairman-in-Office also thanked Ambassador David Nicholas, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine. "The Project Co-ordinator has been instrumental in providing assistance to Ukraine through projects in legal reform, anti-trafficking, the Ombudsman, media freedom, military reform, anti-trafficking and election assistance," he said.