1. Dr. Alice Ackermann
OSCE/Conflict Prevention Centre, Vienna

2. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS

3. The OSCE is... A regional security arrangement
broad membership - 56 participating States
norms and value-based organization
comprehensive and co-operative Security
- three dimensions of security
political decisions, not legally binding
consensus - equal sovereign states
extensive field presence - 19 operations in 17 countries
The OSCE has been recognized as a regional arrangement under Ch VIII of the UN Charter
Please note the four phases of the conflict prevention cycle. Conflict prevention refers to measures and actions aimed at ensuring that conflict does not degenerate into violence and, if it does, measures to stop it from intensifying or recurring.  Effective prevention and attention to root causes - wide range of activities undertaken by field operations with a conflict prevention mandate.

4. 56 participating States…
…from Vancouver to Vladivostok 4

5. OSCE Field Activities MISSIONS Other OSCE Field ACTIVITIES
Office in Minsk
Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan
Bishkek
Astana FI
mission SD
RUS NW
Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine ES
The Conflict in the Area Dealt
by the OSCE Minsk Conference DK LV
KAZ IR LI UK
Georgia NL BL
KGZ PL B D
Vienna L F
UKR CZ
TAD SK
UZB MO CH A H RO SL I BH
TKM CR
GEO P AZ E
SER
BUL AR
Zagreb
MON
ALB
TUR
Ashgabad
Bosnia and Herzegovina
GRE
Yerevan
Baku
Dushanbe
Montenegro
Moldova
Revised July 2006
Serbia
The boundaries and names shown on this map do not
imply official endorsement or acceptance by the OSCE
Kosovo
Albania
Skopje

6. Major OSCE Focus One of the major focus of the OSCE is: early warning
conflict prevention
crisis management
post-conflict rehabilitation

7. Post-conflict rehabilitation
Addressing the conflict cycle
Early warning
Conflict prevention
The Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje was deployed to prevent a spillover of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.
Crisis management
The OSCE is not very well equipped to deal with actual crisis. It has never deployed troops of peacekeepers / peace enforcers, although this may be imminent, e.g. in Moldova, but is active in promoting diplomatic/political dialogue and mediation, and thereby helps to defuse crises.
Post-conflict rehabilitation
Many of our missions are involved in assisting the host state to recover from a conflict. Examples of tasks are to facilitate institution building, monitor human rights, train police forces etc.
Post-conflict rehabilitation
Conflict
prevention
Crisis management

8. ADDRESSING A WIDE-RANGE OF POLITICAL AND SECURITY-RELATED CONCERNS
Arms Control
Confidence-building Measures
Human Rights
National Minorities
Democratization
Rule of Law
Civil Society Development
Border Management and Security
Anti-Trafficking
Police Training
Tolerance Building
Counter-Terrorism
Economic and Environmental Issues

9. Types of Crisis/Conflict Situations Addressed by OSCE
Political Crises
Protracted Conflicts
Crisis Situations in the context of post-conflict reconstruction
Other security challenges (e.g. violent extremism; trafficking)

10. A Unique Toolbox for Crisis/Conflict Management
Long-standing history of crisis/conflict management activities
Structures and Mechanisms
Political Dialogue and Good Offices (CiO, Personal/Special Envoys, SG, D/CPC; Permanent Council)
Support for political negotiations
Institutions (e.g. HCNM; RFOM; ODIHR; OSCE Parliamentary Assembly)
Field Operations
Special body of “Existing OSCE Mechanisms and Procedures “
Co-operation with other Actors
Please note the four phases of the conflict prevention cycle. Conflict prevention refers to measures and actions aimed at ensuring that conflict does not degenerate into violence and, if it does, measures to stop it from intensifying or recurring.  Effective prevention and attention to root causes - wide range of activities undertaken by field operations with a conflict prevention mandate.

11. Co-operation with the European Union
OSCE-EU co-operation well- developed—”natural born partners” (Solana)
Almost half of OSCE participating States are EU members
EU covers more than 70% of OSCE’s core budget
OSCE and EU share well-established and extensive mechanisms for co-operation
HQ level-Staff meetings;
Ambassadorial and Ministerial EU-OSCE Troika meetings;
Field level: European Commission delegations; EU Special Representatives; co-operation on project level activities;
ENP: continues to provide opportunity to bring EU-OSCE closer together in a number of regions (Eastern Europe and Southern Caucasus)
Please note the four phases of the conflict prevention cycle. Conflict prevention refers to measures and actions aimed at ensuring that conflict does not degenerate into violence and, if it does, measures to stop it from intensifying or recurring.  Effective prevention and attention to root causes - wide range of activities undertaken by field operations with a conflict prevention mandate.

12. The OSCE’s Perspective on ENP and its Crisis Management/Conflict Management Capabilities
Please note the four phases of the conflict prevention cycle. Conflict prevention refers to measures and actions aimed at ensuring that conflict does not degenerate into violence and, if it does, measures to stop it from intensifying or recurring.  Effective prevention and attention to root causes - wide range of activities undertaken by field operations with a conflict prevention mandate.

13. ENP as Efficient Tool for Conflict Management from OSCE Perspective
In general, from OSCE perspective ENP functions as efficient tool for conflict/crisis management as well as conflict prevention
In particular, ENP seen as a much needed tool that complements existing OSCE efforts
Complementarities:
ENP is complementary to the OSCE’s broader efforts in addressing all three dimensions of security
ENP focus is similar to that of the OSCE: stability, promoting and supporting long-term reform processes, addressing security-related problems
Democratization and consolidation of democratic gains
Rule of Law
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Economic Development and Reforms
Enhancing Border management and security
Fighting illicit trafficking (drugs, human beings)
Complementarity takes place mostly on level of OSCE field presences  ENP provides a link between OSCE-EU on field level
Please note the four phases of the conflict prevention cycle. Conflict prevention refers to measures and actions aimed at ensuring that conflict does not degenerate into violence and, if it does, measures to stop it from intensifying or recurring.  Effective prevention and attention to root causes - wide range of activities undertaken by field operations with a conflict prevention mandate.

14. ENP Commitment to Support Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts
From OSCE perspective, ENP commitment to support peaceful resolution of conflicts important
ENP Action Plans for Armenia and for Moldova, for example, entail support to the settlement and peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the Transniestria conflicts
ENP allows EU to increase its political support to OSCE-established and OSCE-led conflict settlement frameworks (e.g. Minsk Group and the 5+2)
ENP can provide a potential economic boost and might be used as an important leverage/carrot for advancements in negotiations
ENP can contribute also to the people-to-people level to the peaceful resolution of conflicts (e.g visit of a delegation of Armenian and Azerbaijan intellectuals to each others capitals)
Please note the four phases of the conflict prevention cycle. Conflict prevention refers to measures and actions aimed at ensuring that conflict does not degenerate into violence and, if it does, measures to stop it from intensifying or recurring.  Effective prevention and attention to root causes - wide range of activities undertaken by field operations with a conflict prevention mandate.

15. Recognizing and Managing the Limitations
ENP is excellent example for the enhancement of EU-OSCE co-operation
There are some limits as to ENP’s crisis management efforts
ENP focuses on long-term reform
ENP allows for less engagement in immediate crisis management
ENP allows for less engagement in managing re-occurring crisis situations
OSCE-EU face similar limitations when it comes to resolve crisis and conflict situations, particularly in the case of protracted conflicts-> Need for political will on part of political leaders
Prevention, management, and resolution of crisis and conflict situations need to be viewed from a long-term view—not processes that yield instant results but require sustained commitment
The OSCE has been recognized as a regional arrangement under Ch VIII of the UN Charter
Please note the four phases of the conflict prevention cycle. Conflict prevention refers to measures and actions aimed at ensuring that conflict does not degenerate into violence and, if it does, measures to stop it from intensifying or recurring.  Effective prevention and attention to root causes - wide range of activities undertaken by field operations with a conflict prevention mandate.