STOCKHOLM, May 29. /TASS/. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto fears that the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) could potentially collapse because Russia and Belarus are unwilling to approve Estonia's chairmanship in 2024, the Yle news portal reported.
Each year, one of the OSCE's member states holds the chairmanship of the organization on a rotating basis. The candidate must be approved by all OSCE members. According to Yle, Russia and Belarus have not approved Estonia's candidacy, while Tallinn will not relinquish the prospect of chairing the organization. Thus, according to the news portal, the OSCE will face a fundamental crisis within the next six months.
"If there is no chairman [of the organization] in 2024 and there is no consensus on this issue, next year will be the year when the OSCE collapses as an organization," the top Finnish diplomat said, adding that the collapse of the OSCE could occur before Finland takes it scheduled turn in the chairmanship in 2025.
Vienna newspaper Die Presse reported in April that Austria was ready to propose itself as an alternative candidate for the OSCE chairmanship in 2024 if no consensus could be reached on approving Estonia's candidacy because of possible disagreements on the part of Russia. The newspaper noted that Russia had declined to support Estonia's candidacy at a ministerial meeting in Stockholm in late 2021.
The approved OSCE chair serves in that capacity for one calendar year. The nomination usually takes place two years before the beginning of the relevant candidate’s term in office. North Macedonia has held the chairmanship since January 1, 2023.
The OSCE, bringing together 57 countries, is the world's largest regional security organization. Until 1994, it was known as the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE).