Thank you, Chair. Minister Valtonen, on behalf of the UK, a warm welcome to the Permanent Council. Thank you for outlining the priorities for Finland’s time as OSCE Chair-in-Office. Please be assured of the UK’s full support for the very focused agenda you have set out.
I’d like to pick up specifically on the three guiding principles you have outlined today. The first is to welcome your commitment to keeping support for Ukraine at the heart of the OSCE’s work. Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally shifted the landscape of European security and global stability. And it is becoming more complex, as Russia increases the intensity of its malign and reckless activities across many of the States in our region.
Each participating State of the OSCE has an equal right to security, and each day, Ukrainians are risking their lives to stand up for this right – not just for their own country, but for every one of us. Your commitment to focusing the OSCE’s work on Ukraine, as well as the security of all our citizens and our resilience to evolving threats, is therefore very welcome.
Secondly, as you have reminded us, next year will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act: an important and symbolic milestone. That landmark agreement forms the bedrock of the OSCE, upon which we have built a unique institution through subsequent commitments and agreed principles. These commitments and principles have never been more important than they are today. They provide this institution with the tools it needs to pursue peace and security for our region. The OSCE continues to demonstrate its value every day. And those decades of experience supporting States to manage and resolve conflicts through the toolbox, Missions and instruments are of value to our entire region, and importantly, are already helping Ukraine with its current rebuilding and recovery efforts. We therefore welcome your ambition to make full use of the OSCE’s toolkit.
Lastly, in order to carry out its role effectively, we need an Organisation that is well-equipped. In the immediate term, this means we must get behind the Chair and agree new senior leadership appointments urgently. And more broadly, we welcome your commitment to prioritise inclusivity and strengthen the OSCE’s working methods and functionality, including through innovation. This simply cannot be done effectively without adequate funding. And we share your position that it is essential for the OSCE to have an agreed Unified Budget. We urge those obstructing agreement – to the Unified Budget itself as well as other important Draft Decisions on the organisation’s finances – to look beyond a narrow national focus, support the Chair-in-Office in good faith, and ensure all parts of the OSCE have the funding they need to effectively fulfil their mandates.
Your Excellency, we thank you for your open and consultative approach as you prepare for the task ahead of you. It will be challenging. You can rely on the strong support of the UK. We look forward to working with you and your dedicated team in Vienna, and wish you the best for your Chairpersonship.
Thank you.
