President: Ukrainian crisis shows no additional arguments needed for OSCE role to be strengthened

The Ukrainian crisis shows that no additional arguments are needed and that the OSCE role should be strengthened, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier and Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Michael Georg Link. The President noted that Belarus’ position regarding the operation of the OSCE is known. “We are in favor of building up the role of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. We believe that the reformation of the organization should be aimed at enhancing its role,” Alexander Lukashenko said. The President emphasized that he does not mean that the OSCE does not play any role in the resolution of the situation in Ukraine. In his words, this is the only organization which plays an important role in the settlement and ceasefire in Ukraine. “But we would like the OSCE to step up efforts and to play a more prominent role in the normalization of the situation in Ukraine,” the head of state said and added:

“Speaking about the role of Belarus, you know it very well. Moreover, OSCE is the engine in the crisis settlement and engagement of Belarus in this process.There’s only one thing I’d like to add: Belarus is interested in the prompt settlement of the situation in Ukraine because this conflict, this war is going near our borders. This is happening not in such remote countries as Libya, Syria or Iraq; this is a neighboring country. Therefore, we are extremely concerned about the situation and would like to prevent the escalation of the conflict.”

The day before OSCE representatives met with Foreign Minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei. The parties discussed the implementation of joint projects with OSCE and cooperation with the ODIHR, including on election issues. They discussed the situation in the region, the OSCE efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine and Belarus’s contribution to this process.OSCE was the only organization that had played a role in neutralizing the situation in Ukraine, Foreign Minister of Belarus said after the meeting:

“Given all its shortcomings, the OSCE is still the only organization which could somehow influence the negative development of the situation in Ukraine and played its role in neutralizing this situation. The organization could be more efficient if all its member states took concerted efforts. Once again I would like to stress that the OSCE remains the only organization that plays an important role in restoring peace and stability in Ukraine. Since the adoption of the Helsinki Final Act OSCE has turned into the central element of the European security system.”