More focus on confidence-building measures in conflict resolution needed, says OSCE Special Representative at Geneva Discussions

GENEVA, 14 December 2011 – Developing synergies through multiple confidence-building measures and reaching out to different communities can help support efforts towards conflict resolution, said Giedrius Čekuolis, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for Protracted Conflicts, following the 18th round of the Geneva Discussions today.

Speaking about the August 2008 conflict in Georgia and its aftermath, Čekuolis said: “I have constantly emphasized that this conflict can be resolved only through building trust and the development of confidence-building measures among the conflict-affected populations.”

He underlined that confidence-building measures can “modify perceptions and expectations, which in turn can change relations and behaviour, and thereby change the context of conflict resolution”.

“Let me be clear, confidence building measures alone will not settle a conflict,” said Čekuolis in his last appearance as a Co-Chair of the Geneva Discussions. “And even minimal change sometimes takes a long time. So if one is serious about confidence-building measures, one has to think of a number of incremental, yet consistent, long-term oriented activities.”

He added that the best results can be achieved by combining several activities: “It is the cumulative effect that has the potential to produce or contribute to change.”

Čekuolis urged the participants that have not yet made unilateral commitments on non-use of force to do so quickly, to improve the security situation and build confidence on the ground.

The other two Co-Chairs, Philippe Lefort of the EU and Antti Turunen of the UN, and the participants of the discussions welcomed Pádraig Murphy, who will be the 2012 Irish OSCE Chairmanship’s Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the new Co-Chair.

During the discussions, Čekuolis welcomed the commitment by all participants to continue addressing the sensitive issue of missing persons. He also stressed the work of the OSCE in confidence building through water supply projects in Nikosi, Znauri, and Zonkari, which are expected to be successfully completed by the end of 2011.

The Geneva International Discussions take place in two parallel working groups. One group deals with security and stability, and the other with humanitarian questions, including internally displaced persons and refugees.

The Co-Chairs agreed with the participants that the next meeting will be in Geneva on 29 March 2012.