US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has expressed a growing concern for the future of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the values it has always championed.
"More than 20 years after the end of the Cold War, the work of creating a Europe that is whole, free, and at peace remains unfinished," she said while delivering remarks on Thursday at the OSCE Ministerial Council First Plenary Session at Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland
Clinton told the gathering that a group of the Civil Society Solidarity Platform leaders from a number of member states told her at a meeting earlier in the day about the growing challenges and dangers that they are facing, about new restrictions on human rights from governments, new pressures on journalists, and new assaults on NGOs. She called upon the organization to pay attention to their concerns.
Clinton cited the example of Belarus, where the Government continues to systematically repress human rights, detain political prisoners, and intimidate journalists. "In Ukraine, the elections in October were a step backwards for democracy, and we remain deeply concerned about the selective prosecution of opposition leaders. In Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, there are examples of the restrictions of the freedom of expression online and offline as well as the freedom of religion. In the Caucasus, we see constraints on judicial independence, attacks on journalists, and elections that are not always free and fair," she added.
She also noted restrictions in Russia's civil society including proposed legislation that would require many NGOs and journalists to register as foreign agents if they receive funding from abroad. There are unfortunately signs of democratic backsliding in Hungary and challenges to constitutional processes in Romania and the ugly specter of anti-Semitism, xenophobia, discrimination against immigrants, Roma, LGBT persons, and other vulnerable populations persists.
She reminded that "every participating state, including the United States, has room for improvement."
She cautioned the OSCE against making "institutional changes that would weaken it and undermine our fundamental commitments limiting the participation of NGOs in our discussions, offering amendments and vetoing proposals to respond quickly to conflicts and crises, trying to exert greater central control over the field offices and field workers to curb their efforts on human rights, suspending implementation of treaties and agreements so there is less military transparency in Europe than a decade ago."
Clinton vowed that the United States remains committed to the goal of a Europe that is whole, free, and at peace and to the OSCE whose principles are sound.
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