As delivered by Ambassador Ian Kelly
to the Permanent Council, Vienna
February 7, 2013
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The United States wishes to make an interpretive statement under paragraph IV.1(A) 6 of the rules of Procedure of the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe.
In joining consensus on the scales of contributions for 2013-2015, the United States has made no commitment to any increases in the U.S. contribution beyond this period.
Permanent Council Decision No. 408, adopted in 2001, established a 14 percent ceiling for the Field Operations (Vienna) scale. The logic behind that ceiling remains valid, and we see no reason for changing it. Furthermore, in the thirty-eight year after the Helsinki Accords were signed, we recall the significance of the concept of shared responsibilities (for both the Helsinki and Vienna scales), and intend to participate in discussions on that basis. Moreover, it remains our view that all the criteria applied to scales remain of equal weight.
The United States requests that this statement be recorded in the journal of the day.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
