By Ambassador Batjargal Gunaajav, Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the OSCE.
Mongolia became the Organization for Security Cooperation (OSCE)’s newest, 57th participating State in November 2012, following eight years in the status of the Organization’s Asian Partner for Cooperation. Within a record short period of two and half years since its ascension Mongolia already faced the task of chairing the Organization’s Forum for Security Cooperation (FSC) in the first trimester of 2015.
In close cooperation and coordination with the OSCE Secretariat and the 2015 Serbian OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office, the Mongolian FSC Chairmanship was able to facilitate vigorous and frank exchange of ideas at the Forum and promote its role to enhance dialogue and cooperation in wide-ranging aspects of common security in the OSCE area and beyond.
Stating that “the security of Europe and Asia are indivisible,” in his opening address of the Mongolian FSC Chairmanship on 20 January 2015 the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, H.E. Lundeg Purevsuren, outlined the nation’s priorities focusing on the implementation of the decisions related to politico-military aspects of security adopted by the OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel at the end of 2014. These included decisions on small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition, countering terrorism, the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security and enhancing women’s role in conflict prevention.
The key Chairmanship event was the Conference on OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security co-organized with the OSCE Conflict Prevention Center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in 10-12 March 2015. The OSCE Code of Conduct, adopted in 1994, is a unique, norm-setting document and hailed as “hidden jewel” of the Organization in advancing confidence and security building among its participating States.
Hosting this conference attended by senior diplomatic and military delegates from fellow participating States in Central Asia and Asian Partners for Cooperation was an honorable duty for Mongolia symbolizing the nation’s contribution in promoting the OSCE values and principles in its adjacent neighborhood.
The Chairmanship coincided with a very dynamic and challenging period in the OSCE region; statements and discussions at the FSC plenary meetings featured intense exchange on facts and clear positions of participating States. The two highlights of the Security Dialogue series under Mongolian Chairmanship were the presentations of their countries’ vision of European security by Mr. Robert Bell, the Senior Defense Advisor to the U.S. Mission to NATO and Ambassador Alexander Grushko, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to NATO.
During the Chairmanship and beyond, Mongolia strives to make a positive contribution to the Helsinki+40 process, in which participating States are charting the OSCE’s future as it approaches the 40th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. Mongolia’s engagement and leadership within the OSCE will continue throughout this year, most notably with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly fall meeting to be held in 16-18 September 2015 in Ulaanbaatar.
