Richard Hudson addresses the FSC by video link on 24 March 2021.COPENHAGEN, 24 March 2021 – Addressing a meeting of the OSCE’s Forum for Security Co-operation today, Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Political Affairs and Security Richard Hudson (United States) highlighted the strong relationship between the two OSCE bodies and underlined their many areas of convergence, stressing that to meet pressing challenges, intra-organizational co-operation is essential.

In his remarks to the Closing Session of the four-month U.S. Chairpersonship of the FSC, Hudson reiterated the common agenda for the OSCE in dealing with the conflicts in Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova; countering terrorism; security sector governance and reform; and private military and security companies. He lauded the work by the U.S. Chairpersonship to reduce threats through dialogue and transparency, expressing hope that these confidence-building efforts allow for the long-delayed modernization of the 2011 Vienna Document to proceed.

The Congressman also shared with the FSC the work carried out by the OSCE PA’s security committee over the past year, noting that while the pandemic prevented the OSCE PA from holding formal meetings, its work on critical issues in the OSCE space has been consistent. He highlighted in particular a webinar on COVID-19’s impact on conflicts in the OSCE area and dialogues on institutional challenges facing the OSCE. The PA also responded to political events in Belarus, Russia and Georgia; and remained engaged on the crisis in and around Ukraine, as well as on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, he said.

“These discussions have underlined the depth of the challenges to the political and security environment in the OSCE area that is the shared remit of the FSC and of our Committee,” Hudson said. “But they have also confirmed the validity of the principles enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act, and the unique role of parliaments and parliamentary diplomacy, in addressing these challenges.”

Another area of convergence with the FSC highlighted by Hudson was the OSCE PA’s focus on the problem of non-compliance with key elements of the arms control and confidence building framework in the OSCE area. He shared the Committee on Political Affairs and Security’s recent call for all sides to recommit to the restoration of a functioning regime of arms control and confidence building measures, including by updating the Vienna Document.

He concluded by commending the work of the U.S. FSC Chairpersonship and pledging continued support for incoming FSC Chairs Armenia and Austria.