OSCE Secretary General Zannier to EuroFora: Strengthening the OSCE and Cooperation with Shanghai SCO

*Basel/OSCE Annual Ministerial Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- The Challenge of the Ukranian Crisis is partialy Strengthening OSCE, who is due to Review its PanEuropean Mechanisms Next Year, deepen and expand Cooperation with Asian Partners, including with Shanghai's Organisation, which includes China, but is chaired by Russia on 2015, said to "EuroFora" the experienced Secretary General of the OSCE, Lamberto Zannier from Italy, at the conclusion of the 2014 Annual Ministerial Summit in Basel, whose Decisions and Discussions incite to develop a Prospective Viewpoint on the Vienna Organisation's foreseable GeoPolitical Future.

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     -"Despite of the Difficulties, and the big, unexpected Challenge of the Ukranian Crisis, but also : Because of all that, don't you think that OSCE is in the process of creating, in one way or another, some New Tools and notoriety, useful both for this case, but also in general for the Future ?", "EuroFora" asked initially Zannier.

 - "Sure. Yes. My point is that this (the 2014 Swiss Presidency of the OSCE) was, indeed, a very Difficult Presidency, but it was also a very Succesful one. And even more Succesful, because of the Difficulties", OSCE's  experienced Secretary General agreed with "EuroFora".

+ "And, what did I saw, is that the OSCE has Relevant Tools, that have found Application".

++ "But, we, of course, agreed during the Discussions, especially the Informal Discussions around the Ministerial" Summit, "that there is a Need to Re-look at them, and to see how to make them even More Effective, and to Adjust them Better to this New Kind of Difficult Situations".

 - "So, I thought, that, from my perspective, that was a very Useful Discussion", where "we (OSCE) Started New Processes, that we shall Continue Next Year", i.e. during the incoming Serbian 2015 OSCE Presidency",  he concluded for the Future.

Significantly, Zannier referred to "New Processes" and Top "Informal Discussions" on how to make OSCE more effective, at the eve of the 40th Anniversary of the Organisation, on 2015, during which, it was agreed that a Group of Wisemen would start examining a possible Reform of its overalll mechanism.                    

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+  - Meanwhile,  - "You were in Brussels, recently", "EuroFora" reminded to Zannier. -"Does this mean that there is something that you (OSCE) prepare also together with the EU ?", we asked the experienced; Italian Origin Diplomat earlier, considering also the pro-active stance that New EU High Representative and EU Commission's vice-President for External Action, Federica Mogherini, had taken Yesterday in Basel, on EU-OSCE  cooperation, (Comp. : ...), almost at the eve of the forthcoming, 17-18 December EU Summit in Brussels, which is due to cover also International Developments in Foreign Policy issues; unter the present, Italian EU Presidency.

 - '"Naturally we (EU + OSCE) prepare". - "But", already, "the EU is very much part of what we (OSCE) do, and It's Supporting our Operations. So, that is One of the things that I"ve been Discussing in Brussels with the EU".

  - In particular, "a very large quota of the Budget of our (OSCE's) Operations in Ukraine", (f.ex. the "Monitoring Mission", etc), "covers Personel that we Deploying in Ukraine, from EU Council and/or EU Countries", he explained.

    '=> -"So, obviously, they (EU) are Major Stake Holders : 70% comes from the EU. So, for me, Discussing with the EU the Modalities, the Probems we have, etc. is very Important", OSCE's Secretary General concluded in his Reply to that specific "EuroFora"s Question.

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+ Resolution to "deepen and expand" Cooperation with Asian Countries
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   + But, when we went on to ask Zannier how Far he thought that would go another 2014 OSCE's Annual Ministerial Summit's official "Declaration", also adopted Today, "on Cooperation with Asian Partners", stressing the Will to both "Deepen and Expand" Dialogue and Cooperation Eastwards, OSCE's SG gave us some Interesting Answers :

- "Yes, there is a Decision to continue further that Cooperation" and "There will be a Conference, in (South) Korea, Next Year (2015) on the OSCE - Asian relationships", Zannier announced.

 - "Can we dream that, in the foreseable Future, you (the OSCE) might make some Steps also towards China ? Despite the Difficulties, and because of the difficulties", we wandered, on this occasion.

 - "That depends entirely on China", immediately replied to "EuroFora"s Question OSCE's Secretary General.

+ "We (OSCE) are not proactively seeking partnership from other Countries. It's the Countries themselves that they apply for Partnership", he explained, as a matter of General Principle.

 -" So, if China is interested.. ", Zannier started to reply, apparently showing an Open stance.

++ But, already, "China is engaged in anOther Organisation, with which we (OSCE) Cooperate very Closely", he spontaneously whent on to add :

- "Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the SCO, with which we (OSCE) ...

=> "The (New, SCO's) Secretary General, Mezentsev, we are very Closely in touch, and we have a very Good" contact with him, he anounced.

 -     Dmitry Fyodorovich Mezentsev, Governor of Irkutsk, was appointed from January 2013 at the Head of Shanghai's SCO staff in view of the incoming Russian Presidency up to December 31, 2015, while an SCO Summit of Heads of State/Government is scheduled for July 2015, at Ufa, (Russia), where another Heavyweight : India, has officialy asked and is expected  to join that Organisation.

    Mezentsev, originaly a Railway Transport Engineer as well as former Journalist/Press Official from Lenigrad/Saint Petersbourg, who holds also a Medal for the "Construction of the Baikal-Amur Railway", (a Topical Interest dimension, partocularly in view of developments on the Europe - China "Silc" Railway link projects, promoted recently by the Chinese President Xi Jinping in his 1st Visit to Germany and Europe, of particular interest also to France since Jacques Chirac's Presidency, particularly through ALSTHOM's partnerships with a Russian Business active on Rail, developed further during Nicolas Sarkozy's subsequent Presidency in France, whose "Legion d'Honneur" was awarded to the Russian Politcian),  also Heads Federal Council's Foreign Affairs and Media/Information Committees, after relevant decisions by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
 
    With such a GeoPolitical background, Shanghai SCO's SG, Mezedsev, could fit idealy well the obviously Huge Potential of the "common Economic + Humanitarian space from the Atlantic to the Pacific" oceans, that Russian President Putin has recently taken the initiative to propose to build "gradualy but consistently", as Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov observed from the Start of his Press Conference at Basel, this Morning, pointing also at relevant mentions made by German Foreign Minister Walter Steinmeier (who gave also a Press Conference in Deutsch yesterday Afternoon), and other participants at the OSCE's Annual 2014 Ministerial Summit.

    Steinmeier evoked the perspective of "Dialogue" between the EU and the EurAsian Economic Union, that the issue of Ukraine inevitably raises, and that German Chancellor Angie Merkel had already anounced, as early as since the December 2013 EU Summit in Brussels, that she intended to try to find out, (through planned Discussions with EU and Russia), how to make possible in real practice, by overcoming alleged problems of "incompatibility" that some claimed to see between the two respective Trade Areas, rebus sic standibus, (comp., among others, f.ex. "EuroFora"s relevant NewsReports from that Brussels' Summit of 12/2013 : ......).

But, Merkel's declared initial wish was hindered by 2 unexpected, dramatic events : One personal (Merkel's unprecedented fall, with her leg wounded, which hindered her from traveling abroad from the beginning of January 2014), and another Collective, (the Deadly clashes of February at Kiev, which toppled a Peaceful Compromise Agreement signed then by former Ukranian President Yanukovich and all the then Opposition Leaders, under the auspices of 3 EU Foreign Ministers from France, Germany and Poland, which was brutaly replaced by a growing Series of Bloody Conflicts Dividing Ukraine and threatening to provoke another Cold, and even Hot War, just after unidentified yet "Snipers" suddenly started to Hit and Kill, curiously, both Policemen and Demonstrators, provoking a Spiral of Deadly Violence).

Therefore, when, later-on, efforts (including by Russian President Putin and new Ukranian President Poroshenko, as well as other Players), were made to re-start seeking some kind of Political Solution to the Bloody, Destructive and Dangerous Conflict which had been thus provoked meanwhile, the EU notoriously decided to Postpone for 1 Year, until the End of 2015, the full entry into force of the entire EU - Ukraine Trade and Assocoiation Agreements, particularly as far as Exports of EU-origin merchandises towards Kiev are concerned, in order to try to find, beforehand, a Negotiated Agreement with Russia, which would take into account also EurAsian Economic Zone's realities.

Obviously, this Timing coincides perfectly well with Russia's forthcoming Presidency of the ...Shanghai's Security and Cooperation Organisation during 2015 (Comp. Supra), which is also OSCE's 40th Anniversary, expected to stir a Reform of the Vienna-headquartered Organisation, (under Serbian Presidency : a traditionaly Friendly Country to Russia, but also new Candidate for EU Accession)... And naturally, nobody could fail to see the Fact that all this is going on so close, and even inside, at least as far as Shanghai's SCO is concerned, the Huge, Peaceful and fast - Growing China ! So that it would really be bad to miss such an Historic Opportunity to also try, by the way, to create some mutually useful kinks of the PanEuropean area with Beijing, (thanks also to that Timely Russian GeoPolitical "Bridge"), wouldn't it ?...

(../..)

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- One among the most Topical areas of possible Cooperation between OSCE and SCO is Counter - Terrorist action, particularly after a recent rise of Extremist Islamic Armed Groups committing Horrible Atrocities even against helpless Civilians, was both Denounced by several Delegations at the OSCE's 2014 Summit, and eyed by Resolutions adopted just after OSCE's out-going Chairman, on which Swiss President Didier Burkhalter, (who will Chair OSCE's Contact Group with its Asian Partners for Cooperation Next Year, on 2015, as he anounced Today), had replied earlier to a relevant "EuroFora"'s Question, during his Press Conference of Yesterday, Thursday, (See : ....).

 - Indeed, OSCE's Declaration on "Cooperation with Asian Partners", adopted Today, clearly "Welcomes Dialogue on the efforts to Prevent and Counter Terrorism, ... to Suppress the Flow of Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs), ... in full implementation of UNO's Security Council Resolutions 2170 and 2178", which explicitly target the so-called "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL)'s atrocious BeHeaders and Throat-Cutters, as well as "Al Nosra", etc.

    In particular, OSCE's Declaration on Cooperation with Asia confirms the "Commitment to Prevent the Movement of Terrorist Individuals or Groups, through Effective Border Controls, and Controls of issuance of Identity Papers and Travel Documents", (Comp. "EuroFora"s specific NewsReport on OSCE's Counter - "ISIS" action, with President Burkhalter's Replies to our Questions, as well as the 2 adopted OSCE's Declarations on "Foreign Terrorist Fighters" and on "Kidnapping and Hostage Taking", etc).

...
Meanwhile, China has been recently cited as a possible Ally to the new Afghan Government in the Fight against Extremist Islamic Terrorism threatening both Countries, including f.ex. an "Eastern Turkistan" Terrorist Group reportedly searching to manipulate and destabilize the Unghur Minority at North-Western China, (at Xijiang).

 + Most Important, Chinese President, Xi Jinping, has recently launched a call for Shanghai's SCO to develop actiivities focusing on "Combatting Religion - involved Terrorism", as well as "Drug-Trafficking", particularly around Afghanistan, etc..

    President Xi's move came, by a Coincidence, the same Day that Turkey refused to help Air Strikes against Islamic Extremist Terrorists of "ISIS" BeHeaders/Throat Cutters, as mainstream TV websites immortalized in Impressive simultaneous parallel news screenshots. (See relevant Photo f.ex. from the Chinese CCTV)... A rather worrying recidivism, as Turkish MEPs have had already launched previously provocative Claims about what they called a "Turkish Minority" inside China's Unghur population, as early as since 2008 already at CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/irish/china.html ), long before recent Bloody Incidents by Violent Terrorist Groups reportedly aggressing even defenseless Civilians with knives, etc,, in that part of a Huge EurAsian space that some Extremists' delirious "Panturkism" often claims, from Bosnia up to Mongolia !....

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++ Given also that Security and  Stability has also important repercussions on Economy, as reminded f.ex. the Foreign Minister of Greece, ...Venizelos, while crossing the Press area, China, as well as various other Countries, (f.ex. Japan, etc), would logically have acquired recently a growing Interest in European Cooperation and Security affairs, since it has notoriously started to Invest considerable amounts of Money in several  assets here...

This has become Today obvious particularly on the Negative Repercussions that the still on-going Ukranian Crisis has already had to the detriment of the PanEuropean Economy, as even OSCE's Secretary General, Angel Guria, recently confirmed to "EuroFora", (See : ....).

=> Meanwhile, as it was revealed at a parallel Press Conference of German Chancellor Angie Merkel with the New Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, this same Day in Berlin, all that might, eventually, lead also towards a possible OSCE - Shanghai Organisation's cooperation Starting by Afghanistan, since the Help of China and other Countries of the Neighbourhood or interested in Stability and Peace at that Country, was warmly Welcomed, (particularly if they are currently concerned by various recent Extremist Islamist Armed Groups of Terrorists around that overall area, as f.ex. OSCE Members Mongolia, Kirghistan, Uzbekistan, etc. denounced Yestersay in Basel : Comp. Supra).

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    + But it's also anOther important New Area for OSCE Activities, particularly fit for an extended and deep Cooperation with China and other Asian (as Japan, etc) or differend Continents' Countries, (Africa, Southern America, Australia, etc), which was added, for the 1st time, with a specific Decision taken by the 2014 Annual OSCE Ministerial Summit : that of the Struggle against Natural and/or Man-made Major Hasards :

    - The 57 Foreign Ministers decided, indeed, Today also to "Enhance Disaster Risk Reduction", enlarging further a 2013 Decision "on Protection of Energy Networks from Natural and Man-made Disasters", after "emphasizing the often Cross-Boundary nature of Environmental Challenges, including Disasters".

    This is a well known domain of strong Interest, particularly of China, already since the 1978 UN Treaty against Hostile Environment Modifications ("ENMOD"),  which was also spectacularly Highighted at the opening of the 2008 Olympic Games at Beijing, (when Chinese technicians reportedly succeeded to prevent a Rainfall by intervening at the level of Clouds, etc).

    + Recent developments extended International interest also at various Other areas of the World,, such as, f.ex. : in Turkey (with the 1999 Earthquake which killed more than 30.000 Poor People unable to pay Solid Houses) ; in France, (with the 2003 Giant Heatwave which killed more than 15.000 People and threatened the Energry Independency of the Country, based mainly on Nuclear Reactors needing abudant Water, that exceptionely Dried up Rivers had obstructed then); India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, etc, (by the 2004 big Tsunami which killed, transformed in Refugees/IDPs and/or Destroyed the Livelihood of Hundreds of Thousands of People) ; the USA, (with the 2005 "Katrina" overgrown Hurricane) ; Haiti (by the Januray 2010 Earthquake catastrophe which killed much more than 100.000  and affected i, various ways some 3 Millions of People); Russia (after the uprecedented Summer 2010 Heatwave, City Smog and Forest Fires' deadly incident which threatened even Defense Nuclear sites around Moscow, destroyed Agricultural production and killed a lot of People); followed by Japan's 2013 "Fukushima" Giant Tsunami which targetted an important Nuclear Plant, provoking a World-wide Scare, with manifold Repercussions, up to Germany's Energy policy shift towards RES); etc, while China also continued to be itself often affected by even more Extreme Environment/Weather Events, (such as Giant Earthquakes, Rains and Floods, Mudslides), etc

    Moreover, "Environmental Degradation, including Disasters" can "contribute to Conflict", and "Conflicts, poor Governance, mismanagement", etc, "can affect the Vulnerability of Societies to Disasters", as OSCE observed Today, "noting" also the fact that, recently, reported "Climate Cange may have an Exacerbating Effect on the Frequency and Magnitude of Disasters", so that "International Organisations", and particularly "the UNO", have "undertaken Efforts.. in the area of Disaster Risk Reduction", after the "Hyogo 2005-2015 Framework for action" on "Building Resilience ... to Disasters", currently "preparing the 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction .. aiming at adopting a "Post-2015 Framework" at Sendai (Japan) in 2015".

    => In consequence, OSCE decided Today to officially "encourage the participating States ... to adopt ... an integrated approach to Disaster Risk Management, including  Measures for Prediction, Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Responses and Recovery at all Levels", as well as "to promote Technological Development, Innovation and the Transfert of .. Know-How" in that field, together with "Good Goverance and Transparency" in "Plans" taking "into account the Capabilities" and "Vulnerabilities" of everyone, while also "actively engaging All relevant Stakeholders".

    In this regard, the 2014 Annual Basel Summit of 57 Foreign Ministers "tasked the OSCE Executive structures", and "in particular the Office of the Coordinator of ...Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA)" to "facilitate Cooperation", "within and accross Borders", "exchange of Knowledge and Experiences" ("particularly in .. Water.., Flood Risk...,  and Fires' Management"), "preparadness for Cross-borders implications of Disasters", while also "Raising Awareness" on "Disaster Risk Reduction".

    Last, but not least, OSCE adopted a crystal-clear Open stance on the "Importance of Cooperation with Other Regional (as, f.ex. Shanghai's SCO, etc) and International Organisations in addressing Environmental Challenges that have an Impact on Security, including Disasters".