Nyhedsbrev fra Ambassadør Andreas Nothelle, uge 35-38, 2016

Special Representative
To:
PA President
and
PA Secretary General
PC Brief Weeks 35/36, 2016
The first of these two weeks saw the informal OSCE Ministerial Council (MC) meeting in
Potsdam, Germany, which was still during the OSCE Summer Recess. The second week
was the full re-launch of the activities with meetings of the Permanent Council (PC), the Pre-
paratory Committee (PrepCom), the Advisory Committee on Management and Finance
(ACMF), the Human Dimension Committee (HDC), a three-day meeting of focal points on
Early Warning, further informal meetings and gatherings, as well as an Ambassadorial Re-
treat on Conflict Cycle. During the first week, I also participated in a two-day brainstorm on
election observation in Helsingor, Denmark (as reported in the News from Copenhagen), and
in the second week Marc Carillet and I participated in the Election Observation Mission in
Belarus. Francesco Pagani represented me at the Ambassadorial Retreat.
Main objectives of the German OSCE Chairmanship for the informal retreat were to re-
launch the much needed dialogue between the OSCE participating States, for instance on
issues like Ukraine and Migration, as well as prepare for the regular MC to be held in De-
cember in Hamburg, Germany, and to present a German initiative for renewed efforts in the
field of conventional arms control. According to the Chairman-in-Office, German Foreign Min-
ister Steinmeier, conventional arms control is urgently needed to adequately address today’s
security challenges in a cooperative way and to prevent a new dangerous arms race on the
European continent which would entail serious military risks. PA President Muttonen also
addressed the meeting, briefing ministers about the dialogue-related activities of the PA. This
has been reported in the News from Copenhagen.
The PC agreed on the agenda for the 2016 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting
(September 19 – 30). Otherwise, there was the regular report by Ambassador Schlumberger
on the activities of the mission in Kosovo and the usual debates under Current Issues, which
started in a civilized manner, but in the end culminated in unpleasant personal attacks.
There was also a full day hearing of candidates for the position of High Commissioner on
National Minorities. The post has been vacant since the non-renewal of the mandate of
Astrid Thors.
At the Ambassadorial Retreat Francesco Pagani suggested that any text prepared for the
MC in Hamburg should acknowledge the PA's efforts in stepping up its toolbox on mediation,
including the appointment of President Emeritus Kanerva as Special Representative on Me-
diation.
Andreas Nothelle
Ambassador
September 13, 2016
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2015-16
OSCE Alm.del Bilag 46
Offentligt


Special Representative
To:
PA President
and
PA Secretary General
PC Brief Weeks 37/38, 2016
During these two weeks, no regular PC was scheduled, due to the Human Dimension Im-
plementation Meeting in Warsaw and a special meeting of the Human Dimension Committee.
However, there was the opening of the Portuguese Chairmanship of the Forum for Security
and Co-operation (FSC) and another FSC meeting. There were also meetings of the Prepar-
atory Committee (PrepCom), the Advisory Committee on Management and Finance (ACMF),
the Security Committee, Economic and Environmental Committee, the Informal Working
Group on Migration and a two-day Representative on Freedom of the Media Conference, as
well as another “hour with the Secretary General”. Marc Carillet and I spent two days in Bela-
rus on the Election Observation Mission, and Francesco Pagani spent five days on the Elec-
tion Observation Mission to Russia.
The FSC took a decision on enabling the Publication of Information Exchanges in the Field of
Small Arms and Light Weapons, Conventional Arms Transfers and Anti-Personnel Mines.
The ODIHR has requested additional funds for three election observation missions (former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Uzbekistan). Another attempt to agree on the
spending failed because of Russian objections. Russia wants ODIHR to squeeze the re-
quired 946 200 Euros from ODIHR unspent money for 2016, which according to the ODIHR
is impossible. This might have a direct impact on at least the next Election Observation Mis-
sion, which is the one to Moldova.
There is still no decision on the successor for Dunja Mijatovic (Freedom of the Media), whose
term has been extended beyond the regular limit of her mandate, or Astrid Thors (High
Commissioner on National Minorities), a post that is vacant. After the second hearing, the
opinion of the participating States on the four candidates for the latter post is still not known.
It might well be that the choice will be determined by aspects like geographical representa-
tion and gender balance.
Also next week will be impacted on by the Human Dimension Meeting in Warsaw. In ex-
change, there will be the annual Mediterranean Conference and an Extended Ambassadorial
Retreat right after the PA Autumn Session in Skopje.
I had a first meeting with the Head of the Task force of the incoming Austrian Chairmanship,
Amb. Florian Raunig, and another one with the Ambassador of Israel, Talya Lador-Fresher.
Andreas Nothelle
Ambassador
September 23, 2016
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2015-16
OSCE Alm.del Bilag 46
Offentligt