Mr. Chairperson,
In connection with the adoption of this decision on the Dates and Agenda of the 2023 Economic and Environmental Dimension Implementation Meeting, I would like to make the following interpretative statement under paragraph IV.1(A)6 of the OSCE Rules of Procedure on behalf of the following participating States: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and, my own country, Canada.
The Economic and Environmental Dimension Implementation Meeting is an important event in the 2nd Dimension of the OSCE. All States have joined consensus on the adoption of this decision to ensure that the EEDIM will be well positioned to achieve its objectives.
It is regrettable that this Council, despite the best efforts of the CiO, has not been able to reach the same consensus on decisions on the other annual, mandated events of the OSCE this year: the Annual Security Review Conference in the 1st Dimension, the Economic and Environmental Forum in the 2nd Dimension, and the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in the 3rd Dimension.
The annually mandated meetings are a critical platform for participating States to discuss the current security context, across all three dimensions, and take action where necessary. As set out in the Helsinki Final Act and reaffirmed repeatedly, including in the Astana Declaration: “The OSCE’s comprehensive and co-operative approach to security, which addresses the human, economic and environmental, political and military dimensions of security as an integral whole, remains indispensable.” A selective approach to our OSCE commitments is not acceptable. Commitments in all three dimensions must be fulfilled, including to hold the mandated meetings and conferences.
With this understanding, we remind all participating States of the obligation to ensure the mandated events take place across all three dimensions in 2024. We call upon all participating States to adopt the decisions related to these meetings in a constructive and timely manner.
I request that this statement be attached to the decision and reflected in the journal of the day.
Thank you.