Agreement reached on OSCE Presence in Belarus

VIENNA, 23 June 1997 - On 20 June 1997, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Mr. Ivan Antonovich, and the Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen issued the following statement:

The Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Ambassador Ole Bierring, met today in Minsk with the Minster for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Mr. Ivan Antonovich.

The aim of the meeting was to discuss form and modalities for an OSCE presence in Belarus. The meeting was a follow-up to the OSCE report issued after the visit of the Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Rudolph Thorning-Pertersen, to Belarus from 15 to 18 April 1997.

Minister I. Antonovitch and Ambassador Bierring agreed in principle that the OSCE presence in Belarus would take the form of an OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Office. The tasks of such an office would be to assist the Belarussian authorities in making progress towards a democratic system of government and in complying with other OSCE commitments. The Advisory and Monitoring Office would also be tasked with monitoring and reporting on this process. The Office would work closely with the Belarussian authorities. To achieve its objectives, the Office would also co-operate with other international organizations and institutions.

Work will continue on the practical details for an Advisory and Monitoring Office. The mandate will be presented as soon as possible to the Permanent Council of the OSCE for a final decision.