Info

Chapter 15: The Wider Institutional Framework for Security The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 1 The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), formerly known as the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), was initially a political consultative process involving participating states from Europe, Central Asia and North America. It became an Organisation in January 1995. Launched in 1972, the CSCE process led to the adoption of the Helsinki Final Act in 1975. This document encompassed a wide range of standards for international behaviour and commitments governing relations between participating states, measures designed to build confidence between them, especially in the politico-military field, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and cooperation in economic, cultural, technical and scientific fields. List of participating states: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uzbekistan, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia3. Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name. Yugoslavia was suspended from the OSCE on 8 July 1992 because of the nature of its involvement in the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following the election of Vojislav Kostunica as President in September 2000, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was admitted to the OSCE on 10 November 2000, as the 55th member state.