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SPAIN’S LEADERSHIP OF THE OSCE 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND 

COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

ONE HUNDRED TENTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

OCTOBER 29, 2007 

Printed for the use of the 

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe 

[CSCE 110–1–9] 

( 

Available via http://www.csce.gov 

COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS 

HOUSE SENATE 

ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida, 

Chairman 

LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER, 

New York 

MIKE McINTYRE, North Carolina 

HILDA L. SOLIS, California 

G.K. BUTTERFIELD, North Carolina 

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey 

ROBERT B. ADERHOLT, Alabama 

JOSEPH R. PITTS, Pennsylvania 

MIKE PENCE, Indiana 

BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland, 

Co-Chairman 

RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD, Wisconsin 

CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut 

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, New York 

JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts 

SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas 

GORDON SMITH, Oregon 

SAXBY CHAMBLISS, Georgia 

RICHARD BURR, North Carolina 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS 

VACANT, Department of State 

VACANT, Department of Defense 

VACANT, Department of Commerce 

(II) 

SPAIN’S LEADERSHIP OF THE OSCE 

OCTOBER 29, 2007 

COMMISSIONER 

Page 

Hon. Louise McIntosh Slaughter, Commissioner, Commission 

on Security and Cooperation in Europe ................................. 1 

WITNESS 

H.E. Miguel A ́ ngel Moratinos, Foreign Minister of Spain, 

Chairman-in-Office, Organization for Security and 

Cooperation in Europe ............................................................ 2 

APPENDICES 

Prepared statement of Hon. Alcee L. Hastings, Chairman, 

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe ........... 14 

Prepared statement of Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, 

Co-Chairman, Commission on Security and Cooperation 

in Europe .................................................................................. 16 

Prepared statement of Hon. Christopher H. Smith, 

Ranking Member, Commission on Security and 

Cooperation in Europe ............................................................ 17 

(III) 

(1) 

SPAIN’S LEADERSHIP OF THE OSCE 

October 29, 2007 

COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE

WASHINGTON, DC 

The hearing was held at 4:02 p.m. in room 211 Cannon House 

Office Building, Washington, DC, Hon. Louise McIntosh Slaughter, 

Commissioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 

presiding. 

Comissioner present: Hon. Louise McIntosh Slaughter, Commissioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. 

Witness present: H.E. Miguel A ́ ngel Moratinos, Spanish Foreign 

Minister. 

HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER, COMMISSIONER, 

COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Good afternoon. The hearing on Spain’s leadership of the OSCE will please come to order. 

I want to say at the outset, Mr. Minister, how much we appreciate your being here today, and it’s a very interesting time, of 

course, as you prepare to host the OSCE Ministerial Meeting next 

month in Madrid. 

I’m sorry that our Chairman, Mr. Hastings, is not able to be 

here, but his plane was canceled this morning. Those of us who depend on airplanes know that this is really the chance we all take 

in trying to get where we need to go on time. 

As a longstanding member of the Commission, I’m certainly 

pleased to welcome you on behalf of my colleagues. 

Certainly, we at the Helsinki Commission are unique in our 

focus on development in the OSCE from the parliamentary perspective. 

I appreciate your prepared remarks that recognize the distinctive 

contributions of parliamentarians to the Helsinki process. My personal involvement in that aspect of OSCE dates back to 1993, when 

Finland hosted the Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. 

And over the years, I have appreciated the opportunity to work 

closely with fellow parliamentarians from throughout the OSCE region, from Vancouver to Vladivostok. The OSCE PA has provided 

important leadership on issues from human trafficking and combating anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance to promoting 

projects aimed at protecting the environment and advancing security among the participating States, now numbering 56. 

2 

Gender equality, as you point out, must be a priority, an issue 

I have pressed in the context of the Parliamentary Assembly, along 

with Tone Tingsga ̊ rd of Sweden, the Special Representative on 

Gender Issues. 

I also noted your reference to Afghanistan, the OSCE’s newest 

Partner for Cooperation. Last week, I had the privilege of meeting 

with President Karzai in London and talked again about the movement of women and the benefits that he and his country would 

have from educating young Afghan girls. 

When I first flagged the concerns regarding the problems in Afghanistan in the OSCE context, some people said ‘‘that isn’t our 

concern, it’s outside the OSCE region.’’ Well, one of the lessons of 

September 11 is that events in seemingly faraway lands do matter 

for the people there and ultimately for our own security. 

Mr. Minister, I know you have an ambitious agenda for the Madrid meeting and the Russians and others may complicate your 

work given the OSCE rule requiring consensus. 

Thank you for being here to update us on these and other developments in the OSCE arena and we will be pleased to hear from 

you. 

H.E. MIGUEL A ́ NGEL MORATINOS, FOREIGN MINISTER OF 

SPAIN, CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE, ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

Min. MORATINOS. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. 

Let me first start by conveying to my good friend, Congressman 

Hastings, not being here, my friendship and recognition and, at the 

same time, thank you for this opportunity to speak before the U.S. 

Helsinki Commission. 

I know that the Helsinki Commission plays a unique role as a 

forum for debate on the burning issues of the day facing the OSCE 

and the region. In so doing, this Commission pays unique tribute 

to the longstanding and continued engagement by the United 

States with the OSCE and the values that underpin it. 

The OSCE can only work with the full engagement of the participating States, the governments, the parliaments and the societies. 

The United States, of course, has a special role to play. For that, 

it is an excellent moment to share with you some of the priorities 

and activities of the OSCE under the Spanish presidency, as we approach the Ministerial Council in Madrid at the end of November. 

Let me start by saying that the Spanish chairmanship of the 

OSCE has been very supportive in an effort to find a just and lasting formula that will contribute to the stability of the Balkans. 

We have managed over the years to maintain a neutral and unbiased position in regard to the status of Kosovo and the communities recognize this effort of OSCE. 

While the OSCE is not directly involved in the status negotiation, we are, as OSCE, contributing to the process of creating the 

necessary conditions on the ground for the implementation of the 

status settlement. 

We are ready to stay in Kosovo in order to focus on monitoring 

protection of the rights of communities, particularly regarding the 

centralization and the protection of cultural and religious sites. 

3 

On Afghanistan, I do refer to that. The situation in Afghanistan 

continues to have a substantial impact on security in Central Asia. 

In this respect, the OSCE is considering a serious border management project, particularly in Tajikistan. We hope to encourage 

counterparts in Afghanistan in these border related activities. 

Even more, we are proposing to have informal discussion at the 

ministerial level at the lunch that we have in Madrid to address 

the issue of how OSCE can be useful for the stability and the future of Afghanistan. 

On Kazakhstan, as you know well, Kazakhstan has announced 

its aim to chair the OSCE. This bid has been welcomed by all members of the Organization and we hope and we are sure that this is 

an excellent opportunity to Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and the 

OSCE as a whole. 

For now, there is not a final consensus regarding the date of the 

chairmanship by Kazakhstan, but as Chairman-in-Office, Spain is 

actively seeking to build a consensus to amongst all OSCE states 

on this important decision for the Organization. 

In Georgia, in recent months, we have witnessed serious incidents both in Abkhazia and the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. These incidents are a cause for concern and stress the need 

for further efforts in promoting trust and cooperation. 

In relation to the missile incident on the sixth of August, the 

Spanish chairmanship has adopted a forward-looking approach and 

put forward a proposal for complete preventive measures to avoid 

similar incidents in the future, which constitute a priority for the 

Spanish chairmanship. 

On Moldova, the OSCE continues to work to facilitate a settlement on the Transnistrian issue in Moldova, through participation 

in the ‘‘five-plus-two’’ format of negotiation. Along with a mediators 

from the Russian Federation and Ukraine and the observers from 

the United States and the European Union, we have tried throughout our chairmanship to convince the sides to return to negotiations as we share the conviction with other OSCE states that negotiations in this format are the appropriate means to achieve a sustainable and lasting settlement, one that will give Moldova an excellent chance to develop and prosper. 

Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the continued mediation efforts throughout the year by the Co-Chairs and the OSCE 

Minsk Group, with the active support of my Personal Representative, have not resulted in a breakthrough in the settlement process. 

Nevertheless, the parties remain committed to continuing the negotiations. 

Let me address now the CFE, the Treaty on Conventional Armed 

Forces in Europe. The Spanish OSCE chairmanship notes with 

deep concern the uncertainties concerning the continued implementation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, 

CFE. 

We cannot afford to put at risk the hard won gains in this field. 

The OSCE chairmanship calls on all States Parties to renew 

their efforts to display the necessary flexibility toward resolving 

outstanding Treaty-related issues in a spirit of openness, transparency and mutual cooperation. The Ministerial Council in Madrid will be an opportunity to move the process forward. 

4 

On terrorism, the Spanish chairmanship has placed anti-terrorism as a top priority on the OSCE agenda and has therefore organized four major conferences and a set of decisions are to be 

adopted at the Madrid Ministerial Meeting. 

On the economic and environmental dimension, the second basket of OSCE, we have promoted a full-fledged discussion, with a 

particular focus on the problems of land degradation and water 

management. The OSCE can act as a platform for dialogue and a 

network for cooperation on environmental security. Given the 

OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security, it is only natural that 

the OSCE develop a profile on a question of such vital importance 

to all of us. 

On the human dimension, Spain has also placed the challenge of 

integrating diversity in pluralistic societies high on the OSCE 

agenda. This issue is one that goes to the heart of our pledge to 

build democratic states and societies. Diversity is today a fact for 

all of our societies—the challenge we face is to ensure strong participation by all individuals in our societies and within our democracies. In this respect, the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations is a useful 

instrument to address diversity in different areas such as youth, 

education, media or migration. 

The OSCE chairmanship Conference on Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims, held in Cordoba the ninth and tenth 

of October, was a major initiative for our chairmanship and reflected our conviction that tolerance and non-discrimination should 

stand at the top national and international priorities. 

I will add this conference followed the OSCE Conference on AntiSemitism, another form of intolerance, held in 2005, also in Cordoba, as well as the Bucharest Ministerial Meeting on Tolerance 

and Non-discrimination held earlier this year. 

Promotion of gender equality and freedom of the media and the 

fight against trafficking in human beings have been among our priorities. A long list of activities and seminars testify to it. 

Let me address the election observation and the role of ODIHR. 

Over the years, the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human 

Rights [ODIHR] has earned an international reputation for its 

leadership, professionalism and excellence in the critical area of 

election observation. 

The ODIHR’s mission is much broader encompassing a wide 

range of democratization activities aimed at closing the gap between the commitments on paper and the reality on the ground in 

the participating States. ODIHR’s role is fundamental in OSCE. 

We have consistently supported its activities throughout our chairmanship. 

All OSCE countries have made commitments to democratic elections and supporting a process that leads to democratic governance, 

including those related to international observation of elections. 

We have paid close attention to electoral observation during the 

Spanish chairmanship. In this respect, as the elections to the 

Duma are approaching we are still waiting for a Russian invitation 

to ODIHR to observe them in a way which will allow us to maintain our common high standards on election observation. 

If there is a danger in the debate of election observation, it is 

that some participating States, to a certain extent, would like to 

5 

shift the discourse away from commitments and the fulfillment, or 

lack of fulfillment. We find it unhelpful to call into question the 

well established OSCE practice on election observation, which so 

far has proved most fruitful. 

In this respect, it is our concern that the announcement made by 

the Russian representative in Vienna indicating that the invitation 

to observe the Duma election would be ‘‘a la carte.’’ 

Let me address the role of Parliamentary Assembly in this process. I’m very pleased that President Lennmarker testified before 

the Helsinki Commission on 18 October 2007. 

As a Member of Parliament myself, I can only stress that the political expertise of parliamentarians, along with the responsibility 

incumbent of elected officials for ensuring transparency, accountability, and public confidence, provides a rich experience to complement the broad range of electoral expertise represented in election observation activities, such as that taken by the ODIHR. 

I am pleased to say that the OSCE chairmanship, together with 

the leadership of the Parliamentary Assembly, has ensured the 

constructive nature of the debate on electoral issues without trying 

to change the fundamental nature of the OSCE as an inter-governmental organization or that of the ODIHR as a key institution 

mandated with election observation. 

The OSCE chairmanship has invested efforts to establish good 

cooperation, which has produced a solid record in the OSCE region. 

We would seek to maintain this at all cost. It is vital for the values 

to which we have subscribed. It is vital also as the flagship activity 

of the Organization. 

The relationship between the ODIHR and the Parliamentary Assembly must necessarily be of a special nature it’s a relationship 

of partnership and respect for each other’s contributions—not of 

competition. 

Let me address now the Partners for Cooperation and the Mediterranean Partners. Advancing the relationship of the OSCE with 

Partners for Cooperation has been, as well, at the top of the Spanish chairmanship agenda. 

Setting up a partnership fund has been one of the main goals 

within the contract group. We are confident that the remaining difficulties will be overcome, allowing the OSCE participation in 

projects with the partners. 

Difficulties have also encountered to convene this year a seminar 

with the Mediterranean Partners. We think that holding this seminar in Israel for the first time should provide a unique opportunity 

for institutional work with the Mediterranean. 

We consider our chairmanship initiatives, such as the Cordoba 

Conference earlier last October, have contributed to attract interest 

of the Partners in OSCE activities. In this light, there is a need 

to recall that the Mediterranean continues to be a relevant chapter 

of OSCE’s work and importance of its contribution to security of 

the OSCE area. 

Let me finalize by addressing the Ministerial Council and the respective Madrid Ministerial Meeting. The OSCE ‘‘to do’’ list is expanding. It is only natural that our agenda for the OSCE Ministerial Council in Madrid at the end of this month is ambitious. 

6 

Over the remaining time, the Spanish chairmanship will be seeking actively to garner consensus on vital decisions, including future 

chairmanships, the role of OSCE in environmental security, the 

convention of legal personality of OSCE, strengthening pluralistic 

societies, deepening cooperation in counterterrorism, and the fight 

against trafficking of human beings. 

Protracted conflict will be on the ministerial agenda, as well as 

OSCE missions in the field. It is clear that the ambitious goals that 

the participating States have set collectively for the OSCE must be 

matched by the requested resources. 

I might be frank here. Insisting on reducing resources while increasing mandates doesn’t serve the values that rightly underpin 

the OSCE. 

There is nothing quite like the OSCE, neither a military alliance 

nor an economic union. This Organization brings together, on a 

permanent basis, 56 countries, as you mentioned, Chairperson, 

from Vancouver to Vladivostok, around this shared vision. 

This vision was born in Helsinki. It was to strengthen in Paris 

and Istanbul. Certainly, the work of the U.S. Helsinki Commission 

is a vital part of the pursuit of this vision. 

I thank you for your support and dedication. Thank you. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Thank you very much. We appreciate that report. 

Obviously, the meeting in Madrid is critical to the survival of 

OSCE and I wanted to ask you some questions about that. 

As you know, the Russian official in charge of the elections to the 

State Duma announced today that he would allow 400 outside observers. Since OSCE had more than 400 at the last election and 

given the fact that Russia has made statements, along with, I believe, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and several others, that they think we 

spend too much time on elections and human rights, I’d love to 

have your assessment of that, particularly since they want reform. 

I think there might be some pitfalls ahead with OSCE if we were 

to go ahead with that. 

Min. MORATINOS. Well, I think our role in the observation process in all the 56 members, OSCE has to be serious, has to be credible, and has to be effective. That has been the responsibility of the 

chairmanship of Spain in the OSCE. 

We have had a good experience in all the electoral processes from 

Albania, where we had started with a very difficult situation of 

local elections, through what has been the last Ukraine election, 

that all of them have gone through a very well, I would say, performance of the ODIHR and Parliamentary Assembly work. 

We have some misunderstanding of Parliamentary Assembly and 

ODIHR in Serbia, even if the elections were quite positive, and, 

after that, we have been very much involved in order to get successful outcome of the electoral processes. 

Of course, the Russian Federation elections are extremely important and we’ve been in close contact with the Russian authorities 

in order that we can play and assume our responsibility. 

I can assure you that we will continue to give to the Russian authorities, as you know, the sense that for the good responsibility 

and credibility and the legitimacy of the results of the election, we 

need that OSCE will be involved through the Parliamentary AsVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:17 Oct 28, 2010 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 E:\WORK\102907 HAROLD PsN: HAROLD
7 

sembly and through ODIHR and we are in close contact the Russian authorities to get, as you know, positive and effective involvement in order to have a fair and free election in Russia. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. That’s certainly what we strive for. At the conclusion of the Belgian chairmanship last year, your predecessor 

spoke of holding this Organization [OSCE] together, a notion I 

think held by others, perhaps including the Fins, who will succeed 

you in January. 

Is this the low point for OSCE and what do you attribute that 

to? 

Min. MORATINOS. Well, Madam Chair, I think the Organization, 

paradoxically, is facing the most exciting and challenging time 

after many years—— 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Well put. 

Min. MORATINOS [continuing]. Many years, many years of being 

a quite established organization, that there was no great debate, no 

great polemics. But at this stage, we are starting the new century. 

I think all countries and this family spirit of the OSCE understand 

that we are in a situation that this is the only organization where 

not only Europeans, the United States, what we call the Western 

world, but also the new countries of the [inaudible] and Central 

Asia share the same principles and the same values and the same 

objectives. 

In this new situation I think is the only poorer where in the 

sense of responsibility there is some divergent point of view and 

what we have is to really announce this esprit of familia that have 

to put into force in the near future. 

My intention, as I informed the member states, is that I would 

like to start to reflect on the need for a future summit of OSCE. 

It’s been a long time since the Heads of State or Government last 

met together. 

Of course, we are very proud to be Foreign Minister, and myself, 

we are very strong personalities and we can solve many issues, but 

when we are at the crossroad of the future of the Organization, it 

is high time, after Istanbul, I think 11 years, 10 years, more or 

less, 10 years, it’s high time for the Heads of State or Governments 

to gather together and to think if this organization has been useful 

for security and cooperation for the whole region of Vancouver to 

Vladivostok. 

It’s a quite, I would say, challenging task and I think in this 

world, we need sometimes the Heads of State or Government to 

really reflect on the challenge and the priorities in terms of security and cooperation. 

So I will try to get in my conclusion in the Ministerial Meeting 

in Madrid to give the parties and the member states the mandate 

to start to explore the possibility for this summit meeting. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Do you think that some of the member states 

are threatened by the fact that we push for pluralistic democracies? 

Is that a serious problem or something we can deal with? 

Min. MORATINOS. Well, democracy, everybody [inaudible] to. Democracy is a permanent, I will say, exercise. Of course, we have 

been a longstanding member state with very strong, sound [inaudible] on democracy, institution building, rule of law, but there have 

been many countries that are now full members of OSCE that are 

8 

coming from authoritarian regimes, with a very difficult economic 

and social structure, that, of course, are aiming and working for 

consolidating their democratization processes. 

So I can assure you that in my trips and my tour to some of 

these countries, many in Central Asia, I found in all of them this 

eagerness for consolidating their democratic processes. 

But, also, we have the sense of a tremendous challenge in terms 

of lack of democratic culture. There has not been a political party. 

There has not been freedom of expression, freedom of speech. It 

doesn’t mean that they have not fulfilled all criteria and principles 

of respect of human rights and all kinds of engagements and principles that the OSCE can provide them, but also they are very 

much satisfied with the projects and programs that OSCE can provide to all of them. 

For me, it was a great experience for Spain being a full member 

of the Helsinki process from 1975. If you were to ask any public, 

Spanish people to say something about OSCE, nobody understands 

what this organization is. I have my people deal with our media 

to say that it’s important to be—— 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. I think we have the same thing. 

Min. MORATINOS [continuing]. The chairman, enough is OSCE. 

So the paradox is when you go to Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan or 

to Azerbaijan, you are the king. The Chairman-in-Office of OSCE 

is more important than a head of state. And so they are very much 

committed and very much hopeful that they can be supported by 

this Organization [OSCE] in terms of institution building, how you 

can promote women’s gender in the institution, the NGOs, this civil 

society that is taking shape. 

So the role of OSCE is tremendous, but sometimes, as Westerners, we are too much demanding, you have to do B, C, and D 

in 24 hours, and 24 hours for this is not so easy. 

So I think we should try to get them involved, to get part of this 

new West, that we can call it, for the defending of democracy and 

human rights and all the legacy of the Western world, but at the 

same time, understanding the challenge that they have a tremendous economic and social difficulty, that they have to get something 

back. 

For that reason, the Spanish presidency is very much in favor of 

giving Kazakhstan the chairmanship of the OSCE, because that 

will, for the first time, not be either the European Union member 

states as chairman, that for the first time, we will have the sense 

of partnership that all member states are member states that can 

have this responsibility to lead the organization. 

So that is a tremendous challenge we have to face together and 

I’m hopeful that together we will succeed to get a positive answer 

to Kazakhstan’s request to have the presidency of the OSCE. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Well, I want to thank you for your chairmanship. You’ve had some critical issues. I, too, have been very proud 

of my own involvement in OSCE and we did wonderful work during the Cold War, I think, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity. 

And as you say, hardly anyone, except those of us who are members, know what good work has been done over the years. But one 

9 

thing, and I know you mentioned this in your statement, the August 6 missile incident between Russia and Georgia. 

We had an OSCE Border Monitoring Mission there until a couple 

of years ago. Do you feel that [missile incident] would have happened had the border mission still been there? And should it be reinstituted? 

Min. MORATINOS. When the incident took place, immediately we 

moved forward to get both sides, first, to investigate and to try to 

have objective analysis of what has happened. 

And then, second, to appoint a special representative of myself 

in order to produce a kind of confidence building between the Russians and Georgians. 

I visited Russia, I went to Moscow the day after I went to Georgia and I can assure you that both sides, I think, after our talks 

and discussions, they are much more concerned and much more 

convinced that they have to look to the future, as you say, to avoid 

new incidents. 

So I think the role of OSCE is to create the atmosphere and the 

framework for confidence building measures. OSCE is the appropriator for supporting—we have military observes in the region. We 

can have reinforced observers on the borders. We can even think 

about some early warning system for the future, at the same time, 

encouraging the two sides to really engage in a serious discussion, 

because as I told both the Russians and the Georgians, they are 

neighbors. 

So neighbors have to live together, have to respect each other. So 

borders are not going to disappear. So if they want to have security 

and stability and good relationships for the future, they have to understand each other. 

So I think with our actions, we relax and we cool down the tension. We have still our representative in case it’s needed to maintain contacts and discussion and I hope that during the Ministerial 

Meeting in Madrid, we can overcome even to create a better atmosphere of the situation. 

I have to thank, also, the role of the U.S. diplomacy in this issue. 

I know that the State Department is very much involved to create 

the conditions for better understanding between Russia and Georgia, and I think, all together, with our modest contribution, we can 

really facilitate a better relationship between Georgia and Russia. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. That would be wonderful. If Kosovo unilaterally 

declared independence, how would that impact the ability of the 

OSCE to continue to function there, because its existing mandate 

is going to expire at the end of the year and to have it renewed, 

it has to be subject to consensus by all the participating States, including Russia and Serbia? 

What do you think the chances are for that? 

Min. MORATINOS. Well, of course, as you know, we are not part 

of OSCE involvement—we are not involved in the negotiation of 

final status of Kosovo. I mean, for the moment, we don’t know. We 

should not judge what will be the final outcome. 

Of course, we have to be prepared. OSCE is the larger organization deploying in Kosovo, is the organization that really got the 

root of understanding the reconciliation and confidence building 

measures, because we are in the different localities, municipalities, 

10 

and we know our people are involved on a daily basis and know 

how to handle the whole security in the different areas and local 

municipalities in Kosovo. 

So it’s very important that OSCE maintain its engagement in 

Kosovo, whatever is going to be the future status. 

We have said that, of course, we need a new mandate, as you 

mentioned, because at the end of the year, the mandate of our deployment in Kosovo will be over. We hope that the parties will be 

in close contact with Serbia and other actors in order to get their 

understanding that OSCE is an objective partner that is doing 

positive work for all communities. 

And I hope that during the Ministerial Meeting in Madrid, we 

can get some understanding of that in order that we can have innovation of a mandate without any precondition of what is going to 

be the final status of Kosovo. 

Of course, if everything goes through Security Council resolution 

of U.N., it will be [inaudible] on the draft of the Security Council 

U.N. resolution, there was already a paragraph about the need for 

renewing the mandate of OSCE in Kosovo, but there is no U.N. Security Council resolution, you should try to get it through other 

means. 

So we are aware of that. We are conscious of that and we would 

work in order that our mandate in Kosovo that, as I told you, is 

1,100 people already deployed there. So the U.N. is one of the most 

important presence, international presence in Kosovo, can maintain 

their work and their contribution to the stability and prosperity of 

the people of the region. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Just one or two more questions, if I may. It’s 

so good to have you here. 

Min. MORATINOS. I’m here, I’m very happy. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. I want to talk about Lebanon for a moment. I 

was privileged to travel to the Middle East with Speaker Pelosi in 

April and of the five countries we visited, Lebanon was the saddest. 

The President at that time was afraid to leave the parliament 

building. Parliament itself had not met for some time. We’re very 

concerned about Hezbollah. We’re concerned about the insurgents 

crossing the Lebanese border, going after our soldiers in Iraq. 

Do you see any developments in that country that would lead it 

to be able to join the [OSCE] Mediterranean Partners any time in 

the future? Did you get some sense of hope? 

Min. MORATINOS. I am cautiously optimistic on Lebanon. I made 

a trip with my colleague, the French Foreign Minister, Mr. 

Kouchner, and the Italian Foreign Minister, Mr. D’Alema, and myself, and it was not what we expected. 

We found Lebanese political forces extremely eager to overcome 

this kind of fatalism. Lebanon, as you mentioned, is a country that 

has so much suffered throughout history and it has suffered 

through the conflicts and, I will say, the interference of others, that 

they feel for once that they have to really try to overcome the differences among themselves and look for the future. 

In this sense, there has been a much more clear commitment of 

all political forces, mainly among the Christian community, because, as you know, the next president has to be, through the Taif 

11 

Accord, has to be Maronite, a Christian, of the sense of historical 

responsibility. 

I am feeling that they’re moving forward. They are aware of the 

tremendous consequences that they will have to suffer if there is 

no agreement before the 25th of November and, for that reason, all 

parties are working in order to make some compromise, in order 

to get a candidate that can have the support of all political parties. 

I think as the international community, we have only one responsibility at this stage and that’s to give them a sense of freedom to 

work among themselves and try to get an agreement among themselves, not to try to identify one part and one other. 

I think our message should be encouragement, a sense of responsibility, and, of course, support. And I hope that things that have 

been developed are going to the right direction and finally we can 

get a president of Lebanon that will get the consensus of all parties, including, of course, the main party, the majority now as of 

the 14th of March. That means the political parties that are now 

in the majority in the last elections. 

Also, I hope that all together, they can get this candidate to be 

the man of consensus and then will follow for the stability and the 

better security of liberty. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Did you have any discussions with the ability to 

have the U.N. investigate the Hariri assassination? 

Min. MORATINOS. Well, we had a discussion, of course, with 

Nabil Berri and Saad Hariri himself. I met with all the principal 

leaders of Lebanon. 

For Spain, I’m talking now as the Spanish Foreign Minister and 

not OSCE [Chairman-in-Office], because OSCE has no mandate on 

Lebanon. We are in favor of the tribunal. 

Personally, I was a very close of friend of Rafik Hariri. I have 

my personal experience with Rafik Hariri. Three days before he 

was assassinated, I had a phone call with him and I have been 

very much involved, defending his ideals and his principles. 

I’m very much involved in what has happened and what we need 

is to have clarity and finally justice to be applied for this very outrageous assassination. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. If Mr. Berri won’t call the parliament together, 

it would be pretty unlikely to ask for the tribunal. 

Did you discuss that with him at all? Because we did and I have 

to tell you it made no impact on him. 

Min. MORATINOS. Before the parliament? 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. And the speaker. Yes. They’ve not met in some 

months. 

Min. MORATINOS. Of course not. I mean, they are in a very difficult situation. They’ve been through a very tough situation. 

I met some MPs that they’re afraid for their life and—— 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Yes, they are, with good cause. 

Min. MORATINOS [continuing]. Living in a hotel. In a Finnish 

hotel, I went to pay tribute to their courage. I went to see them 

and what we have is to overcome that, that they can live without 

any concern for their life and security. 

So we are working to guarantee that. Lebanon is very, very 

promised in democracy in the Middle East and we should work for 

that. 

12 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. If I could stray again from not an OSCE member, but you know Iran is a major concern for the United States 

and for the EU. How does Spain view that current situation? Do 

you see any common ground between the EU and the United States 

on Iran? 

Min. MORATINOS. Well, to say it’s not—— 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. I saved the best one for last. 

Min. MORATINOS. I can talk as the Spanish Foreign Minister on 

Iran, not OSCE [Chairman-in-Office]. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. But I’d love to hear the Spanish perspective on 

Iran. 

Min. MORATINOS. Yes, of course. It’s a perspective that’s very 

similar of the United States and others. We are very much concerned about the situation in Iran and the situation of the lack of 

response of Security Council resolution of the U.N. 

And, you know, I have two words of our policy towards Iran. No. 

1 is full implementation of Security Council resolution and, No. 2— 

three words, I will say—full implementation of Security Council 

resolution; number two, unity of international community to give 

this strong message to Iran; and, third, a dialogue in the sense that 

we need to really explore and exhaust all dialogue in order that we 

get some results. 

That is the way we are conducting our policy. We have been in 

close contact with the United States, the High Representative for 

Common Foreign Security Policy, Javier Solana, is the one who has 

been in charge by not only the European Union, but the United 

States to engage with the Iranians in order to find a diplomatic 

and political solution. 

We are supporting these missions, but we are not holding out 

anything. If the mission doesn’t produce results, we said that we 

are ready, as the European Union, to study new measures against 

Iran, but let’s first concentrate in the efforts of our envoy, our common envoy, Javier Solano as envoy of the United States, the Russian Federation and the European Union in order to get some results. 

The most important thing is that, for the moment, we have to 

keep the unity of the main international actors. We are sending a 

very strong message to Iran to comply with the Security Council 

resolution and that’s what we are trying to do. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. I know you have a great influence on them and 

I hope very much that that works. 

Are there any other comments you’d care to make before adjournment? 

Min. MORATINOS. Well, only in terms of OSCE, I mentioned in 

my—I think it was the last paragraph, I know that always when 

we are in the Congress, the next day we—Congress is very influential on the budget. 

So we heard some rumors that there are some difficulties by the 

U.S. administration to reduce its contribution to OSCE and what 

we are asking only United States to really be positive. 

I mean, if you want, as we all want, a much more credible and 

efficient OSCE, with a larger mandate, because the situation now 

is not only to deal with electoral processes, but we are also taking 

13 

care of Afghanistan, of Central Asia, of the Caucasus, on the environmental issues, on democracy, on unresolved conflicts. 

What is a bureaucracy? We know that a bureaucracy always 

makes some concern of U.S. administration, but really we should 

also have the sense of responsibility and have the financial support 

of the United States. 

Ms. SLAUGHTER. Chairman Hastings and I certainly agree with you. $12 billion a month for war, of all borrowed money, I think 

we’ve neglected an awful lot of things. 

I was just at a conference in London a week ago, over the weekend, an international global conference on maternal mortality. The 

United States pulled out, would not sponsor it, because they would 

not do a panel on abstinence only and the Speaker thought it was 

not a good thing for the United States of America to be absent. 

So she sent five Members of the House over so that we would 

present. We’re very much aware of that and want to meet our responsibility. 

I certainly appreciate your being here today and I learned a 

great deal and look forward to seeing you at the OSCE meeting. 

I need to say the statements of Chairman Hastings, Co-Chair 

Cardin, Ranking Member Smith will be included in the record of 

this hearing. 

The unofficial transcript of today’s hearing, as well as all of the 

statements will be posted on the Commission’s Web site, 

<<www.csce.gov>>. 

Thank you all very much and the hearing is now adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 4:40 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.] 

14 

A P P E N D I C E S 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS, 

CHAIRMAN, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION 

IN EUROPE 

Minister Moratinos, I am pleased to welcome you to the Helsinki 

Commission as you prepare for the Madrid OSCE Ministerial late 

next month, capping off Spain’s chairmanship of the Organization 

for Security and Cooperation in Europe. From the outset, Spain has 

pursued an ambitious agenda for this largest regional organization 

stretching from Vancouver to Vladivostok. Besides the now 56 participating States, the OSCE also maintains a relationship with the 

current six Mediterranean Partners, including Israel and Jordan as 

well as five Partners in Asia, among them Afghanistan. 

In your inaugural address to the OSCE’s Permanent Council, in 

January, you noted the complicated stage the organization and its 

members are passing through. That passage continues, fraught 

with potential pitfalls, especially given the divergent views among 

the participating States over fundamental aspects of the organization and its future course. 

While the participating States may share a common view of Europe on paper, translating that vision into reality is another matter 

altogether. While all OSCE commitments have been agreed to by 

all of the countries, the fact is that there are human rights commitments that have been on the books for many years that would not 

be agreed to by some today. Indeed, the OSCE, and its precursor, 

the CSCE, have served as barometers for relations among the participating States. Frankly, the current barometric pressure is low, 

signaling a likely impending storm. 

The Human Dimension rightly remains at the heart of the 

OSCE. Democratic development has seemingly stalled in several 

participating States, while civil society, human rights defenders 

and independent media are coming under intensified pressure as a 

result of their work. We welcome your efforts to draw attention to 

these areas of concern as well as ongoing work to combat intolerance and xenophobia, human trafficking in all of its forms, and to 

promote cooperation among participating States to stem the sexual 

exploitation of children. 

Mr. Minister, I also appreciate the fact that you have crisscrossed the OSCE region in search of resolutions to longstanding 

crises even while trying to prevent the outbreak of new ones elsewhere. Similarly, I welcome the concerted effort you have made to 

engage with leaders in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan and 

Turkmenistan. I also welcome the attention paid by the Spanish 

chairmanship to the economic and environmental dimension. Let 

me point out that the urgent issue of energy security should be 

high on the OSCE agenda. 

As the OSCE PA’s Special Representative on Mediterranean Affairs, I am especially appreciative of your work to strengthen the 

relationship between OSCE and the Partners for Cooperation from 

that region and look forward to the Mediterranean Seminar on 

Combating Intolerance and Discrimination and Promoting Mutual 

15 

Respect and Understanding, scheduled to be held in mid-December, 

in Israel. 

Looming on the horizon are pressing issues including simmering 

tensions with Russia in the lead up to critical parliamentary and 

presidential elections; a possible expanded role for the OSCE in 

Kosovo; prospects for OSCE involvement in Afghanistan; and engagement with the countries of Central Asia, including 

Kazakhstan’s aspiration to chair the organization in the future. 

As President Emeritus of the OSCE PA, I would note the unique 

role Spain played in the elaboration of another key dimension of 

the Helsinki Process, the parliamentary dimension. Madrid was 

where the founding document of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly was agreed in 1991, with close collaboration between Dante 

Fascell and Steny Hoyer and their colleagues from Spain and elsewhere. An integral aspect of the OSCE, the Parliamentary Assembly has provided vital leadership in such important fields as election observation and on issues ranging from combating anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance to human trafficking. 

Mr. Minister, your appearance before the Helsinki Commission 

today, like that of each of your predecessors since 2001, is a vital 

aspect of the link between parliamentarians and the OSCE. 

I understand that it is a longstanding Spanish tradition to consume 12 grapes as you ring in the New Year. My hope, Mr. Minister, is that those grapes will be the sweetest the vine can produce 

for you and for the organization you have helped lead in 2007. 

16 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, 

CO-CHAIRMAN, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

Mr. Chairman, I welcome this hearing, the latest in a series of 

Commission sessions with OSCE chairmen. I dare say that there 

is no other governmental entity in the OSCE region with the depth 

of experience and engagement in the Helsinki process as this Commission. Engagement like this between the highest executive authority of the organization and parliamentarians is most useful and 

appropriate. 

As a Vice President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, I am 

pleased to welcome you here today, Mr. Minister. This hearing follows on the heels of a similar meeting held earlier this month with 

OSCE PA President Go ̈ran Lennmarker. Additionally, the Commission regularly holds hearings with senior State Department officials responsible for U.S. policy toward OSCE. 

Spain’s active role in the Helsinki process dates back over two 

decades, when Madrid served as the venue for the follow-up meeting from 1980–83. As Chairman Hastings has already noted, the 

Spanish parliament played a leading role in the establishment of 

the Parliamentary Assembly. Over the years we have maintained 

excellent working relations with Javier Ruperez and others. 

Spain’s national experience is particularly relevant to many of 

the challenges facing the OSCE and the participating States, from 

the transition to democracy and the threats posed by terrorism to 

the Mediterranean security and the importance of tolerance in a 

multicultural and multiethnic state. 

I commend the Government of Spain for organizing the 2005 

Coˆrdoba Conference on Anti-Semitism and on Other Forms of Intolerance. This Commission has been particularly active in the face of 

the spike of anti-Semitism and related violence in the OSCE region. We appreciate your efforts to keep this important issue on the 

OSCE agenda with the reappointment of the personal representative on different aspects of tolerance as well as the related conferences convened this year in Bucharest and Coˆrdoba. 

Mr. Minister, I appreciate your efforts to move the Helsinki process forward and advance our common work to translate lofty principles into meaningful policies and practices. Leadership of an organization with the geographical, political and cultural diversity of 

OSCE can be a thankless job. Perhaps the Jewish rabbi, physician 

and philosopher Maimonides, from your home town, put it best 

when he said, ‘‘The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision.’’ Mr. Minister, thank you for willingness to accept 

that challenge. 

17 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, 

RANKING MEMBER, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND 

COOPERATION IN EUROPE 

Mr. Chairman, I welcome this opportunity to hear from Minister 

Moratinos in his capacity as Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE. His 

appearance is particularly timely in light of next month’s ministerial meeting to be convened in Madrid. The road to Madrid could 

well prove to be a rocky one, especially given Russian rhetoric and 

the fact that the meeting takes place on the eve of Russia’s parliamentary elections, which will be followed by presidential elections in March. Russia and like-minded countries, including 

Belarus and Kazakhstan, are joining forces in an attempt to gut 

OSCE election observation. Their actions are a testament to the efficacy of OSCE’s democracy promotion activities, which they and 

others perceive as a threat to prevailing political structures firmly 

in the grips of authoritarian government determined to avoid or 

manipulate free elections. Those of us who in the past have defended the principles enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act against 

Communist states must maintain our resolve to defend them 

against post-communist authoritarian states. 

The OSCE has made important contributions in other areas of 

the Human Dimension. As the principle sponsor of the Trafficking 

Victims Protection Act and reauthorization, I am particularly 

pleased that the issue of human trafficking remains high on the 

OSCE agenda. Priority attention must be paid to prevention strategies to stem the tide of trafficking, including in areas touched by 

conflict and humanitarian crises in which indigenous populations 

face a heightened vulnerability to violence. It is also important to 

aggressively prosecute traffickers responsible for this form of modern slavery. Additionally, appropriate protection and assistance 

must also be accorded to the victims of their heinous crimes. I will 

continue to promote these issues here in our own country and encourage others, including parliamentarians in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, to combat human trafficking and its root 

causes. 

I appreciate efforts over the past year to further enhance cooperation among the participating States in combating the sexual 

exploitation of children, building upon the ministerial decision 

adopted a year ago in Brussels on this important issue. I remain 

deeply concerned over the proliferation of child pornography and 

the perpetration of other crimes against children through trafficking, prostitution and sex tourism. The OSCE provides an excellent framework for advancing our joint efforts to protect children 

from such abuse. 

Finally, I commend ongoing efforts to combat anti-Semitism and 

related violence throughout the expansive OSCE region. The phenomenon of anti-Semitism requires particular vigilance given the 

evils perpetrated against European Jewry, particularly during the 

20th century. And I remain deeply concerned about the rising tide 

of intolerance toward Christian faith, which not a new phenomenon 

in Europe. I note that the Foreign Minister was in Rome yesterday 

for the beatification of 498 martyrs, Catholic priests, nuns, and lay 

persons slain for their heroic witness to their faith in one of the 

darkest hours of Spanish history. 

18 

Mr. Minister, the strength of the Helsinki process remains the 

core values and principles enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act, and 

Charter of Paris and other OSCE document. The power of ideas remains a meaningful force today as witnessed by the drama being 

played out in the arena of the OSCE between those committed to 

pluralistic democracy and those pursuing authoritarianism, 

euphemistically termed managed democracy, and dictatorship, as 

in Belarus and others. Compromising on core values or watering 

down longstanding commitments is not the solution to the current 

impasse. Rather, our responsibility is to remain steadfast to these 

values and principles to which all participating States—including 

those now recalcitrant—have promised to uphold in word and deed. 

Thank you Mr. Chairman. 

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