The OSCE and modern challenges

From August 6th to September 8th, a book exhibition “The OSCE and modern challenges” timed to the 40th anniversary of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) runs in the Official documents reading room (auditorium 207).

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world’s largest regional organization which embodies 57 participating states in Europe, Asia and North America.

The OSCE’s mandate includes issues concerning military, political, economic, ecological and humanitarian spheres, such as the fight against terrorism, arms control, promotion of security and confidence, economic and ecological security, and also development of democratic institutes, supremacy of statute law and human rights protection. The OSCE’s resolutions are consensus-based; all the participating states have an equal status. The OSCE’s universal approach to safety issues and the wide structure of its participants make the organization an important and unique international forum for the political dialogue.

The OSCE has its roots in the 1973 Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE). This meeting was convoked at the suggestion of the USSR and Socialistic European countries as a standing international forum including representatives of 33 European states, and also the USA and Canada in order to develop measures for reducing the military confrontation, to strengthen the international detente, and to uphold stability and safety on the European continent. The talks were held in several steps, and after tree years of consultations, on August 1st, 1975, in Helsinki heads of 35 states signed the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe Final Act (the Helsinki Accords). This day is an official date of the foundation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The Helsinki Final Act set the ten principles guiding relations between participating states, such as the inviolability of the Post-World War II frontiers, the peaceful approach to conflict resolution, the full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and cooperation between nations. The Helsinki Act was a very important step on the way to the formation of the European security system.

On January 1st, 1995, the CSCE was renamed into the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The Republic of Belarus is the OSCE full member since January 30th, 1992. Belarus actively participates in the development of the OSCE’s documents and decision-making and by that brings its own contribution to the European dialogue concerning safety and cooperation. The participation of Belarus in the OSCE’s activity is carried out within the bounds of the OSCE Standing Committee, the Forum for Security Cooperation, the Joint Consultative Group and the Open Skies Consultative Commission, and also through the implementation of the OSCE’S basic principles. Since 1992, the Delegation of Belarus to the OSCE operates in Vein (Austria)

The offered exhibition presents about 100 documents the most part of which are the OSCE’s papers in Russian and English: books, periodicals, brochures and booklets.

The exhibition includes the following thematic sections:

• The OSCE: the history, the structure and the major tasks.
• Politico-military aspects in the OSCE’s activity.
• The OSCE’s role in conflict settlement.
• The OSCE’s activity in the field of economy and ecology.
• The OSCE and human rights.
• The democratic institutions’ development and election monitoring.
• The Republic of Belarus and the OSCE.

The offered exhibition will be interesting to students and postgraduates, university professors of social and political disciplines, experts in the field of the international law, the world policy, the international relations and human rights, and also to everyone who is interested in the processes of the European integration and the European security system.

Useful links

• The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
• The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
• The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
• The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
• The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
• The Delegation of Belarus to the OSCE

Papers

• The Helsinki Final Act (1975)
• The Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990)
• The Conventional Forces in Europe treaty. (1990)
• The Charter for European Security (1999)