Russia's Foreign Minister: attempts to use OSCE to exert pressure on its member-states are inadmissible

Russia's Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov believes "attempts to use the OSCE as an instrument to exert pressure" on its member-states are inadmissible.

He made this statement at the tenth Council of the OSCE Foreign Ministers in Porto /Portugal/.

Russia's Minister said "this line had no prospects" as it did not strengthen, but weakened the organisation. Ivanov also recalled that "the OSCE was an institute for co-operation and assistance, but not force and punishment." "A country's political isolation is still more dangerous," Russia's Foreign Minister stressed. He said that some time ago "the OSCE had made a mistake by separating Yugoslavia from its activities". "This reduced the opportunities to influence the Balkan situation," he said. "We hope, this bitter experience will not be wasted for our organisation," Ivanov concluded.

The Russian Minister also expressed his firm conviction that "the OSCE must remain one of the bearing constructions of the European security structure, an opportunity for conducting an increased dialogue and taking decisions on key issues of the European system and increasing partnership between its member-states." Igor Ivanov stressed that Russia "welcomed the Council's passing an OSCE Charter on counteracting terror." "We are grateful to the Portuguese chairmanship for this important and timely initiative," he stressed.

"Porto is placing increasing demands on the OSCE," Ivanov pointed out. "The immediate need has appeared to take additional measures to reform institutes and a broad network of OSCE field delegation, aimed at restructuring their work in line with the changing environment," he said. "Without it even the most correct political decisions will remain good intentions," according to Ivanov.