OSCE SEEKING CIS SUMMIT'S SUPPORT

VIENNA, SEPTEMBER 16, (RIA Novosti's Borislav Pechnikov) - The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is trying to enlist the support of the current CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) summit in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The CIS summit would also be expected to support specific OSCE-reform initiatives, as well as other measures aiming to give this entity a new lease of life. These requests are contained in a letter by the incumbent OSCE president, i.e. Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Solomon Pasi; this letter was sent to the CIS-summit president September 15, what with the OSCE's Vienna secretariat also making it public.

In his letter, Pasi notes that such support would facilitate regional countries' important role as regards every aspect of OSCE activities.

The OSCE president emphasized the special importance of OSCE-CIS relations for our two organizations.

The OSCE must recognize its responsibility for stepping up the fight against international terrorism, as well as its threat to the security and stability of states, for the sake of preventing and combating those horrible terrorist acts in the OSCE zone of responsibility, which comprises Europe, North America and Central Asia, Pasi's letter reads in part.

Furthermore, Pasi writes that he is counting on CIS analysis and proposals with regard to the OSCE's possible contribution to the struggle against this common enemy facing mankind and ways of building upon OSCE-CIS relations.

Talking about the OSCE-reform declaration, which was signed in Moscow July 3, the incumbent OSCE president notes that he has already sent a letter to the foreign ministries of all 55 OSCE countries, explaining his position within this organization and calling on everyone to exchange opinions on this issue.

I hope this issue, as well as other challenges now facing the OSCE, will be analyzed rather thoroughly and discussed at the December session of the OSCE foreign ministers' council in Sofia, and that an adequate response to all these issues will be found, Pasi writes.

Bulgaria's Foreign Minister specified a number of issues now being tackled by the OSCE and requiring CIS support. Their list is as follows - organizing future meetings and conferences of the OSCE economic forum in Central Asia; organizing annual human-dimension conferences in the Caucasian region; enhancing the incumbent OSCE president's political role, as well as that of the OSCE secretary-general and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; swelling budgetary resources for the sake of facilitating additional OSCE activity in Central Asian and Caucasian countries.

Moreover, Pasi advocated a more active role of CIS countries in forging the OSCE's future.

Pasi also asked the CIS to support basic OSCE reforms and actions aiming to turn the OSCE into a more valuable and important organization.