The Lord Bishop of Worcester – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Worcester on 2015-02-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking, as a member of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, to bring about renewed discussions with Russia on a possible Euro-Atlantic security community.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK has regular discussions with Russia and all other participating States under the auspices of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), including through the Helsinki +40 process, towards the goal of a security community as outlined at the OSCE Astana Summit 2010. I recently met Michael Link, the Director of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and emphasised the need to uphold the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security and the rule of law through strong commitments and institutions. The UK continues to underline to Russia that its illegal annexation of Crimea and its destabilising actions in eastern Ukraine are unacceptable, and a violation of fundamental OSCE principles and commitments. Additionally, in December 2014 the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office launched an Eminent Persons Panel, with a remit to make recommendations on how to take forward an inclusive and constructive dialogue across the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions, and to reflect on how to ensure effective adherence to the Helsinki Principles that OSCE participating States have signed up to. The UK looks forward to engaging with the work of the panel this year.
