The duty of dialogue” “” “

“The international community not only can, but must feel itself committed to fostering the way of dialogue and the peaceful solution of conflicts”: this is the firm conviction of Msgr. Giovanni Lajolo, Secretary for the relations of the Holy See with States, who was interviewed by Iva Mihailova, SIR correspondent in Bulgaria on the occasion of the 12th meeting of the Ministers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (Osce) held in Sofia on 6-7 December. Since the 1970s, when the OSCE was founded, the world situation has changed a good deal. How does the Holy See, which has participated in it since its origins, see the future of this Organization? “The question of the future of the Osce is of great actuality and member countries have been discussing it for several years now. The Holy See has on several occasions emphasized that the Osce has contributed in a special way to fostering among the member states – and in the whole international community – the fundamental consciousness that peace between peoples does not depend merely on political and military factors: peace depends equally on respect for human rights and fundamental liberties, as also on the economic and environmental conditions in which citizens live. The Holy See is convinced that, to properly tackle the ever new challenges of peace, the member states need to recognize, first and foremost, the enduring relevance of the fundamental principles that guided the Helsinki process, and that they should strive to respect them with ever greater fidelity. The possible political and economic reinforcement of the Organization must not in any way be to the detriment of the human dimension and, consequently, of the Osce’s commitment to religious freedom and other fundamental human rights”. Can the OSCE help to find a peaceful solution to crises like that in Ukraine? Has the Holy See a position or proposals on the matter? “The Osce is a very important forum for political and security dialogue for the whole Euro-Atlantic region, and the Ukraine is one of its members. So it is natural that there should be discussion at Sofia on recent developments in that country, nor is it surprising that the Osce has in recent days asked that, during the forthcoming presidential elections, its observers may be allowed to perform their mission in complete freedom and also monitor the counting of the votes. The Holy See is convinced that the Helsinki Final Act, in which the principles that ought to guide relations between its member states are enunciated, can help to achieve a peaceful solution, respectful of the will of the Ukrainian people”. Terrorism continues to be rampant on the international scene. What are the main challenges that need to be tackled to combat it? “The United Nations, and also the other international organizations, are very much involved in tackling this phenomenon and have already formulated important international instruments. Personally I am convinced that terrorism shall be effectively countered only if we continue to pursue a policy of committed multilateral concertation, respectful of fundamental human rights. We also know that the causes of terrorism are multifarious: political, social, economic and cultural. So it is essential not to ignore long-term action aimed at addressing these factors with patience and foresight”. What is the Osce? The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (Osce) is an organization of pan-European security, of which 55 countries are now members. It performs a fundamental role of pre-alarm, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict reconstruction in the region it covers. All the States that participate in the organs and activities of the Osce enjoy equal status. Its origins date back to the period of détente in the early 1970s when the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) was created for dialogue and negotiation between East and West. After over two years of meetings the CSCE reached agreement on the Helsinki Final Act, signed on 1st August 1975. This document contains a series of fundamental commitments on political and military, economic and environmental questions, and questions relating to human rights and enunciates the fundamental principles that ought to regulate the conduct of States to their citizens and among each other. In 1994 the Budapest Summit changed the name of the CSCE to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.