OSCE CONFERENCE IN WARSAW WILL LOOK AT THE PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING COMMITMENTS TO HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
On 30 September, the Review Conference of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) begins in Warsaw. The Review Conference will look at the progress that Lithuania and the other 55 participating states have made in implementing their commitments to human rights and democracy, democratic elections, the rule of law, tolerance and non-discrimination, freedom of the media, etc. The Review Conference aims to prepare for the OSCE Summit in Astana on 1-2 December.
The first segment of the Review Conference will begin in Warsaw with the participation of Ambassador for the OSCE Human Dimension of the OSCE Chairmanship Department at Lithuania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alfonsas Eidintas.
Lithuania will aim for the results of the first segment of the Review Conference to be reflected in the Action Plan, which the participating states intend to approve at the Summit in Astana. One of the most important objectives of Lithuania's OSCE Chairmanship next year will be the implementation of this Action Plan.
By signing the Helsinki Final Act (1975) of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the participating states of the OSCE have assumed the political commitments that later became known as the human dimension of the OSCE's comprehensive concept of security. It covers all aspects of human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy, tolerance, non-discrimination and rule of law.
The second and the third segments of the Review Conference will be held respectively in Vienna from 18 to 26 October and in Astana from 26 to 28 November.
With several hundred participants from governments, civil society and international organizations, the Review Conference in Warsaw will be the largest human rights event in Europe this year.
Kazakhstan's Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Envoy of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Konstantin Zhigalov, Poland's Under-Secretary of State Grazyna Bernatowicz, the OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut and the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Petros Efthymiou will speak at the opening plenary session.
Reports on the OSCE institutions activities will be presented by Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Janez Lenarcic, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Knut Vollebaek and OSCE Representative on the Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic.
For more information about the Review Conference please click here.
