WASHINGTON—The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today announced the following hearing:
U.S. PRIORITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT AT THE OSCE
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
10:00 a.m.
Watch Live: www.youtube.com/HelsinkiCommission
From urgent crises in Belarus and the Caucasus to the ongoing Russia-fueled war in Ukraine, all three dimensions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)’s definition of comprehensive security—military, economic and human—are under strain, while the organization itself has been weakened in its ability to respond to these crises due to several leadership vacancies. At the same time, OSCE participating States are dealing with the ever-increasing severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is taking a terrible toll on populations throughout the OSCE area.
November marked the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Paris, which began the transformation from the original Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe into today’s OSCE, the world’s largest regional security organization. Following the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting taking place December 3 – 4, 2020, Ambassador Philip T. Reeker will brief the Commission on the results of the meeting and discuss U.S. Government priorities at the OSCE moving forward.