Secretary of State Rice says OSCE doing important work, pledges United States will remain active in leadership role

VIENNA, 31 May 2007 - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the OSCE today the Organization was doing important work to consolidate a Europe that is whole, free, democratic and at peace, and she pledged the United States would stay actively involved.

"When I think of the OSCE I think of its bedrock commitment to human rights and democracy. ... One does not have to impose democracy in the world; one has to impose tyranny," the Secretary of State said at the Permanent Council, the 56-country Organization's main decision-making body. "What you do is to give people the opportunity to live in democratic circumstances and they will respond."

Secretary Rice said the OSCE's forerunner, the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, had helped overcome Cold War divisions, a task that had once seemed impossible but from our current perspective seems to have been inevitable.

"That is for me a great benefit and a great inspiration as we look at a world that is in considerable turmoil now," she said.

The Secretary of State said important work was being done in support of elections and human rights, as well as the security architecture that is the basis on which a Europe whole, free, democratic and at peace is emerging.

"I want to pledge to you that the United States will remain active with this Organization, and intends to continue to play a leadership role and to use the good offices of this institution for the important tasks ahead," she said.

Please also see the U.S. State Department website for its coverage and, later, for a transcript:

www.state.gov