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STORY: UN / OSCE
TRT: 3:16
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 06 FEBRUARY 2020, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – RECENT – NEW YORK CITY
1.Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
06 FEBRUARY 2020, NEW YORK CITY
2.Wide shot, Security Council
3.SOUNDBITE (English) Edi Rama, Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania:
“To face today's broad range of complex challenges, global action must draw on and coordinate the work of regional organizations. The OSCE is an effective partner of the United Nations and a venue to promote the idea that great power competition must give way to great power cooperation. I believe that the basic principles of the Helsinki Final Act -respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and defense of human rights -are still today -as they were back then -a simple and effective recipe for security, prosperity and a future of peace.”
4.Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Edi Rama, Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania:
“The crisis in and around Ukraine remains the most pressing security challenge in Europe. So the unique contribution given by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine to reducing tensions and fostering peace, is essential.”
6. Various shots, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Edi Rama, Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania:
Operating in a challenging and volatile environment, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission offers an essential contribution towards peace. For that to continue happening, however, there is a need to ensure safe and secure access for its staff on the ground. That requires political will by the sides. I will not stop calling for it. Political will is indeed key to peace, and I could see with my own eyes how the repaired and reopened bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska is relieving the hardship of those living across the contact line, and how the security and humanitarian aspects of the conflict go hand in hand.”
8.Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBTIE (French) Nicolas De Riviere, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations:
“It is not possible to evoke the Russian-Ukrainian crisis without going back to the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia. This violation of Ukraine's internationally recognized borders must continue to be condemned with the utmost firmness. We deplore in this regard the
increasing militarization of the peninsula, as well as human rights violations against persons belonging to minorities, in particular the Tatars of Crimea.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBTIE (Russia) Dmitry Polyanskiy, First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russia Federation to the United Nations:
“Overall, as we have seen from the statements from our western colleagues about the Minsk Agreement, none of you have read them or intend to read the Minsk Agreement. It feels like it is much more advantageous to continue to point to Russia as the guilty party of the conflict, contributing to the efforts of the Kyiv authorities to not accept responsibilities, so you are giving them a carte blanche basically for any actions that they may take against their citizens.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
The Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said, “the OSCE is an effective partner of the United Nations and a venue to promote the idea that great power competition must give way to great power cooperation.”
The Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama today (06 Feb) briefed the Security Council on the priorities for the Albanian OSCE Chairmanship 2020. He reiterated, “to face today's broad range of complex challenges, global action must draw on and coordinate the work of regional organizations.”
Rama said he believes that “the basic principles of the Helsinki Final Act -respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and defense of human rights -are still today -as they were back then -a simple and effective recipe for security, prosperity and a future of peace.”
On Crimea, Rama said, “the crisis in and around Ukraine remains the most pressing security challenge in Europe. So the unique contribution given by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine to reducing tensions and fostering peace, is essential.”
Two weeks ago, Rama made his first visit to Ukraine in the new capacity as the Chairperson-in-Office. He met the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy,and noted to the Council that the entire Ukrainian leadership. Rama assured his counterparts of the determination and dedication to advance peace efforts, urging respect for OSCE principles and commitments and full implementation of the Minsk agreements.
Recalling his travel to the contact line where he had the opportunity to observe the practical impact of the SMM operation on the ground, he said, “operating in a challenging and volatile environment, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission offers an essential contribution towards peace. For that to continue happening, however, there is a need to ensure safe and secure access for its staff on the ground. That requires political will by the sides.”
Rama continued, “I will not stop calling for it. Political will is indeed key to peace, and I could see with my own eyes how the repaired and reopened bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska is relieving the hardship of those living across the contact line, and how the security and humanitarian aspects of the conflict go hand in hand.”
The Chairperson-in-Office also noted that the instruments and institutions of the OSCE are essential safeguards for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Promoting freedom of expression and freedom of the media, safeguarding the rights of national minorities and combating violence against women are OSCE’s immediate, urgent priorities.
French Ambassador Nicolas De Riviere told the Council that “it is not possible to evoke the Russian-Ukrainian crisis without going back to the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia.”
He said, “this violation of Ukraine's internationally recognized borders must continue to be condemned with the utmost firmness. We deplore in this regard the increasing militarization of the peninsula, as well as human rights violations against persons belonging to minorities, in particular the Tatars of Crimea.”
Also speaking to the Council, Russian Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said, “overall, as we have seen from the statements from our western colleagues about the Minsk Agreement, none of you have read them or intend to read the Minsk Agreement.”
He argued, “it feels like it is much more advantageous to continue to point to Russia as the guilty party of the conflict, contributing to the efforts of the Kyiv authorities to not accept responsibilities, so you are giving them a carte blanche basically for any actions that they may take against their citizens.”
The OSCE Chair is held for one calendar year by the OSCE participating State designated as such by a decision of the Ministerial Council. The function of the Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) is exercised by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of that State.
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