Ian Kelly: Change to the Mandate of the OSCE Office Not Necessary

Ian Kelly, U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE replied to a letter from Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov.  The Azerbaijani representative had proposed to lower the status of the OSCE Office in Baku to the level of an observer on projects.

Speaking May 14 at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, Kelly made ​​a statement in which it criticized the idea of Baku as not acceptable.

“We want to see Azerbaijan succeed as a democratic, prosperous, secure, and sovereign country.  It is for this reason that my government is troubled by the Azerbaijani government’s reaction to protests this year, including the arrest and interrogation of democracy activists, pressure on civil society organizations and political parties, and closure of Free Thought University’s facility.  Respect for rule of law and all fundamental freedoms:  the freedom of expression—including

for members of the media—as well as the freedoms of assembly and association, will help Azerbaijan to advance as a prosperous, democratic nation.  In 2010 in Astana, both Azerbaijan and the United States, as well as all other OSCE participating States, reaffirmed that we are all accountable to our citizens and responsible for the full implementation of all our OSCE commitments.

The United States also attaches great importance to our cooperation in multilateral organizations such as the OSCE.  This Organization is a valuable forum for furthering our relations based on the principle of comprehensive and co-operative security.

The OSCE Office in Baku provides valuable support for Azerbaijan’s democratic development and dialogue between the Government and civil society based on these common commitments. Its work has made substantial and positive contributions to Azerbaijan’s reform agenda;

yet much remains to be done.  The United States reiterates its full support for the current mandate and work of the OSCE Office in Baku, and we hope that Azerbaijan will continue to ensure a robust field presence that works in all three dimensions in the country and engages

with the full spectrum of Azerbaijani society.  While we note the concerns raised by Azerbaijan as host to the OSCE Office, we urge that the government engage in constructive dialogue and address these matters at the appropriate time in the OSCE’s calendar of work.

We look forward to Azerbaijan’s invitation to the OSCE to deploy a full observation mission, an unrestricted invitation to observe the upcoming presidential election on October 16,” the statement said.

In his address to the OSCE on March 18 this year, Mamedyarov proposed to reduce the status of the Baku office. He explained that this proposal reflected the change in the international situation and the achievements of Azerbaijan.

The most important change in proposed status was that the future project coordinator would coordinate all projects with Azerbaijani authorities and present them only with the consent of official Baku.

Commenting on Mamedyarov’s suggestion, experts noted that Azerbaijani authorities want to reduce the state's mission and to limit its powers. First of all, these restrictions affect the ability of the OSCE Mission to conduct independent actions to respond to events and processes related to elections, violations of human rights and democracy.

It also proves the authorities' wish to avoid direct cooperation between the OSCE and local NGOs. -025B-