The OSCE ministerial council did not adopt a ministerial declaration on Tuesday. Instead, OSCE chair Dimitrij Rupel just circulated the chairman's statement, which is not politically binding.
The ministerial did however adopt the road-map for a reform of the organisation, which was the subject of intense debates at the Ljubljana ministerial. Rupel said it was unfortunate that after six years the organisation was still debating the 1999 Istanbul commitments on Russia's pullout of troops from Moldova. However, he pointed out that this year progress has been made in many countries in terms of "leaders genuinely working to find ways to increase human security."
Rupel was especially critical of the "back-pedalling on reform" in Uzbekistan. "We should work with our Uzbek partners to narrow the divide which currently stands between us."
Ian Pearson, the British representative speaking on behalf of the EU, said agreement was not possible due to discords on the wording of the Istanbul commitments, which deal with Russia's troop pullout from Georgia and Moldova.
Despite the absence of a declaration, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meanwhile said he was pleased that the ministerial embarked on a reform process.
Russia has been the loudest backer of reforms as it believes the OSCE has got off track in its operations. In its views, reforms would strengthen the organisation and make it more transparent.
Speaking at a press conference after the ministerial, Lavrov labelled the debate on the Moldova pullout that brought down the ministerial declaration an "artificial issue".
According to him, Russia has made it clear that it is prepared to commit to a pullout of its troops from Moldova. He added that this was subject to the conclusion of negotiations on the withdrawal between Russia and Moldova that were suspended in 2003.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador at the OSCE Julie Finley said that it was key that the ministerial declaration state regret about the lack of progress in the withdrawal of Russian troops from Moldova. She regretted that it was impossible to reach consensus on a ministerial declaration with such wording.
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