OSCE CiO meets Russian Foreign Minister

THE HAGUE, 5 February 2003 - On 4 February 2003, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Igor S. Ivanov.

"We discussed key items on the agenda of the OSCE in 2003 and noted substantive agreement on ways to achieve the objectives set out at the meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Porto in December 2002", said the Netherlands Chairman of the OSCE. The Russian Minister expressed support for the priorities of the Netherlands Chairmanship.

The OSCE CiO and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation emphasized the need to harmonize and improve the co-operation within the OSCE framework in all three dimensions of security, and to enhance interaction between participating States in combating terrorism as well as trafficking and other forms of international crime.

Both Ministers expressed regret that no agreement had been reached on the extension of the OSCE Assistance Group to Chechnya (Russian Federation). They agreed on a renewed constructive engagement of the OSCE in Chechnya through a two-track parallel approach: firstly, an ODIHR-led technical assessment mission will soon be sent to Chechnya to review the circumstances under which the referendum, scheduled for 23 March 2003, will be held and may be observed. At the same time, work will start on the form and modalities of a longer term OSCE presence and involvement in Chechnya. "I agreed with Minister Ivanov that, to this extent, the CiO will soon submit proposals to Moscow", said Minister de Hoop Scheffer.

The Ministers also reviewed the situation in various parts of the OSCE area, in particular Moldova and the Southern Caucasus. They agreed to continue combined efforts to find peaceful solutions to existing conflicts in the OSCE area and underlined the usefulness of regular contacts.