Latvia's Letter to C-i-O - 01.31.2003

 

Latvia Calls on OSCE to Address Anti-Semitism

The following letter was sent by Sandra Kalniete, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia,  to Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and 2003 Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

White House/CNP

Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga visiting President George W. Bush at the White House, February 17, 2003

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Riga, 31 January 2003



Dear Colleague,

I would like to congratulate you on your recent assumption of the Chairmanship-in-Office and wish you every success in this capacity in the future.

I am writing to express my strong support for the establishment of a Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting focused on the question of anti-Semitism within the region of the OSCE. As your Government continues to fulfil the responsibilities of the Chairmanship-in-Office, we feel that this issue should be granted due consideration and note with some concern the rise of anti-Semitism in many areas of the OSCE region.

The Government of Latvia feels that such a meeting would directly answer the call of the Porto Ministerial Meeting for “the convening of separately designated human dimension events on issues addressed in this decision, including on the topics of anti-Semitism, discrimination and racism and xenophobia…”

Latvia has deeply appreciated its successful partnership with OSCE institutions and membership in the OSCE process. The people of Latvia have suffered the insidious effects of anti-Semitism firsthand, and today wish to contribute to maintaining freedom from intolerance, nationalism and xenophobia. As was noted in the OSCE Ministerial Council’s Porto Declaration of 7 December, “recognizing the role that the existence of anti-Semitism has played throughout history as a major threat to freedom,” we feel that creation of an official and separate OSCE-forum to actively combat a resurgence of anti-Semitic violence is timely and desirable. Political statements justifying the motivation for anti-Semitic attacks, or in some cases inspiring them, must be addressed at the OSCE-wide level, with the active participation of both the governmental and non-governmental sectors.

Lessons and models from all OSCE nations must be recognized, considered and actively applied in each Participating State. Regardless of the source of the latest anti-Semitic violence and propaganda, it is incumbent upon OSCE governments to take responsibility by responding with consistent and unambiguous language, with effective public campaigns and law enforcement, and with transnational cooperation. We feel that a Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting can begin to catalyse the OSCE system and its multinational constituency towards halting the current events of violence and promoting values within each society which will combat anti-Semitism and curtail expressions of intolerance in the future.

We look forward to working with you and your government on this urgent issue and all issues of mutual interest and concern.

Once again, Your Excellency, permit me to express my confidence in the success of your Chairmanship-in Office of the OSCE.



Sincerely yours, 

Sandra Kalniete


H.E. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Minister of Foreign Affairs
of the Kingdom of The Netherlands