Right of Reply to the Russian Federation on the Chair’s Announcement of No Consensus on the Unified Budget
As delivered by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Tracey Newell
to the Permanent Council, Vienna
July 28, 2022
We are intensely disappointed that consensus could not be reached among participating States to provide a budget for this organization for 2022. The Russian delegation should be ashamed of its role in blocking consensus on the Chair’s third proposal for the Unified Budget at a time when the OSCE region needs more, not less “security and cooperation” in Europe. We routinely hear false rhetoric from the Russian side about all that the “West” is doing to “dismantle the OSCE.” Their actions on the budget today lay the truth bare. While it is also unfortunate that two other states could not reach a compromise on aspects of the proposal – it is Russia that is responsible for holding this organization hostage and forcing the OSCE to limp along on monthly allotments, just as it is Russia that takes a “holier than thou” approach to the founding principles of the OSCE here in this chamber.
Both the external auditors and the Audit Committee today stressed concern with this lack of decision-making on behalf of participating states and how it damages the credibility of the OSCE in the eyes of partners and donors alike.
We want to thank the Chair for their tireless efforts to find consensus over the nine months now that we have been discussing the budget. Despite the challenges in reaching consensus on the Unified Budget, we trust in the merits of this organization and support the Chair as they continue to seek consensus even in these dark days.
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