Thank you, Chair. Federal Councillor Cassis, on behalf of the UK, welcome to the Permanent Council. Thank you for outlining the priorities for your Chairpersonship next year, and for taking on the responsibility of leading our organisation at a crucial and challenging time. I’d like to respond on a few elements of what you set out.
First and foremost, I strongly support your focus on Ukraine, as it continues to suffer from – and defend itself against – Russia’s illegal invasion. We absolutely welcome your aim to use the OSCE’s tools to support Ukraine, and to work towards a just and sustainable peace. As well as making clear our support for Ukraine, we will continue to use this forum to hold Russia to account for its aggression – and its increasingly malign and reckless activities across our continent, targeting many of the participating States represented in this room. The Russian violation of Polish airspace last week was just the latest grave example. I welcome your focus on maintaining respect for the principles of the Helsinki Final Act – the full Decalogue of which Russia continues to disregard. Thank you for reminding us today of what that actually means.
Russia’s hybrid aggression is also testing the democratic resilience of many OSCE states: Moldova is a particular target at present of Moscow’s malign political interference and attempts to destabilise its democratic institutions. I therefore strongly support your priority of using the OSCE to support democratic institutions and respect for human rights. Like you, the UK is a firm supporter of the OSCE’s three autonomous institutions – which are at the coalface of bolstering democratic resilience in the OSCE region. We also believe that fundamental freedoms are essential for lasting security and peace in our continent.
There are many other areas of our region where there is high value in active OSCE support and focus. That includes the Western Balkans, where OSCE Field Operations have a direct impact on the ground in building long-term security, rooted in respect for human rights. There is also scope for the OSCE to support peace in the South Caucasus region. I again applaud Azerbaijan and Armenia for the historic progress they have made in their peace process, and trust that the OSCE stands ready to support them if and when called upon.
However, that sort of on the ground impact requires resources. And the OSCE urgently needs an agreed Unified Budget. I believe we can reach consensus on a budget for 2025, in the remaining weeks of the year. It is strongly in our combined interests to do so, and I urge all participating States to focus our ambition appropriately so that we can agree a budget now. But I also believe that we need to be more ambitious about how we preserve and use this organisation. In 2026 I would suggest we begin a budget conversation that builds on a pragmatic 2025 Unified Budget. That should consider how we can prioritise our limited funding more rigorously and lead the participating States in a discussion of reform, building on the conversation initiated at July’s Helsinki +50 Conference.
As you lead the organisation into 2026, the UK will also be supporting you across the Security agenda – building on our chairing of the Security Committee this year, and as we become Chair of the Forum for Security Co-operation in the third trimester of next year. We agree with you on the importance of mobilising science and technology in managing global security issues. And – as well as the key driver of insecurity in Europe today, Russia’s war against Ukraine – we will continue to focus on the complex security challenges that affect us all. This includes tackling Organised Immigration Crime – a top political priority for many of us here. Migration flows in the OSCE region are driven by a range of political, economic and environmental factors; criminal networks are also exploiting desperate and vulnerable people, and undermining our collective border security. We must respond nationally and through co-operation. The OSCE can play an important role in this, building on the OSCE comprehensive migration agenda set out 20 years ago at Ljubljana in 2005.
Your Excellency, the geopolitical tensions that have buffeted our continent in recent years continue unabated. The OSCE itself is an important part of responding to those challenges, but it is also under severe strain because of them. There is much for us to do in 2026.
I have every confidence that under your leadership Switzerland will be able to build on Finland’s excellent work and take forward the OSCE agenda successfully – using your inclusive multilateralist approach to respond to challenges to peace and security across Europe, and also ensuring that our organisation is match fit for this new geopolitical context.
You can rely on the strong support of the UK as you do so. We look forward to working with you and your dedicated team in Vienna, and wish you all the best for your Chairpersonship.
Thank you.
