This hearing examined U.S. policy in a critical region of the world and Washington’s relations with the OSCE–the largest regional organization encompassing all of Europe, the former Soviet Union, the United States and Canada.
Following the Cold War, the OSCE evolved into a singular instrument for advancing U.S. foreign policy goals in Eurasia, including the promotion of the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. It remains the only pan-European forum for military-security negotiations.
At the heart of OSCE is the explicit and implicit connection between security, democratic values and human rights. The hearing addressed specific human rights concerns, including the ongoing conflicts in Chechnya and the Caucasus, the deteriorating situation in Belarus, and the dismal human rights climate in Central Asia, as well as initiatives to fight human trafficking, combat anti-Semitism and related violence, and stem international crime and terrorism. The hearing took place as the United States prepared for the annual OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, which took place in Warsaw, Poland beginning in early October.
