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Negotiating
and decision-making bodies
The
OSCE provides a forum for consultation and negotiation
among the participating States. The OSCE decision-making
bodies are:
The
Permanent Council - the main regular decision-making
body of the Organization, convenes weekly in Vienna
to discuss current developments in the OSCE area and
to make appropriate decisions.
The
Forum for Security Co-operation - meets weekly
in Vienna to discuss and make decisions regarding
military aspects of security in the OSCE area, in
particular confidence- and security-building measures.
The
Senior Council/Economic Forum - convenes once
a year in Prague to focus on economic and environmental
factors that affect security in the OSCE area.
Summits
- OSCE Heads of State or Government meet periodically
to set priorities and provide orientation at the highest
political level. Each Summit is preceded by a review
conference, where the implementation of OSCE commitments
is reviewed and Summit documents are negotiated.
Ministerial
Council - a meeting of OSCE Foreign Ministers
is convened in those years when no Summit takes place
to review OSCE activities and to make appropriate
decisions.
Structures
and institutions
The
Organization has developed several structures and institutions
to follow-up on the political decisions negotiated by
the participating States:
Chairman-in-Office
- The Minister of Foreign Affairs of an OSCE participating
State, selected each year, bears overall responsibility
for executive action and co-ordination of OSCE activities.
He/she is assisted by the Ministerial Troika, supported
by the Secretary General.
Parliamentary
Assembly - gathers over 300 parliamentarians
from OSCE participating States, with the aim of promoting
parliamentary involvement in the activities of the
Organization.
Secretariat
- under the direction of the Secretary
General, provides operational support to the Organization.
The Secretariat's mandate involves: support of OSCE
field activities; maintaining contacts
with international and non-governmental organizations;
co-ordinating OSCE economic and environmental
activities; OSCE activities in the politico-military
field; administrative, financial and personnel
services; conference and language services; information
technology and press and public information.
Office
for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
- is the principal institution responsible for the
promotion of human rights and democracy in the OSCE
area.
High
Commissioner on National Minorities - seeks
early resolution of ethnic tensions that might endanger
peace, stability or friendly relations between OSCE
participating States.
Representative
on Freedom of the Media - observes media development
in OSCE participating States and provides early warning
on violations of freedom of expression.
Court
of Conciliation and Arbitration - created
to settle disputes among OSCE participating States
that are parties to the Convention on Conciliation
and Arbitration within the OSCE.
Arms
Control and Confidence- and Security-Building Measures
- the OSCE Chairman-in-Office has appointed Personal
Representatives for the implementation of Articles
II, IV and V of Annex 1-B of the Dayton Peace Accords.
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