The OSCE today is the largest internationalorganization. Its sphere of competence includes the problems of resolving conflicts without the use of weapons, ensuring the integrity and inviolability of the borders of the participating countries, ensuring the basic rights and freedoms of ordinary people. The history of the birth of this advisory body goes back to the postwar period, when the serious question arose about the prevention of destructive and bloody wars between countries.
The importance that thecooperation and security in Europe, is explained by the fact that in world history there were no precedents for holding such meetings. The final act, signed in Helsinki, laid the foundation for the security of the continent for many years to come.
The Conference on Security and Cooperation inEurope in 1975 was the result of events taking place in the world since the beginning of the 20th century. The 1-st World War ravaged the European continent with a destructive tornado, causing much grief. The main desire of all people was to prevent such conflicts, in which there are no winners. For the first time, the Soviet Union initiated the creation of an advisory body on collective security in the 1930s.
However, disagreements between different systemsprevented the leading powers of Europe to work out common rules together with the USSR. As a result, the lack of unity and a common approach to security issues on the continent in many ways led to a repeated terrible war that claimed even more lives than the 1st World War.
But the example of the anti-fascist coalition showed thatEven countries with different political systems can cooperate effectively for the common goal. Unfortunately, the cold war interrupted this good intention. The formation of NATO in 1949, then the bloc of the Warsaw Pact countries divided the world into two warring camps. Today it seems like a terrible dream, but the world really lived in anticipation of a nuclear war, in the US people built thousands of individual shelters with a long supply of water and food in case of conflict.
In these conditions, when one careless step withthe parties of any of the warring parties could be misunderstood and lead to terrible consequences, especially necessary to develop common rules and rules of the game, mandatory for all.
Great contribution to the Meeting on Cooperation andsecurity in Europe was made precisely by the countries of the eastern part of the continent. In January 1965 in Warsaw, the USSR and other countries came up with the initiative to work out common norms and rules for collective security and mutual cooperation of all countries of the European continent. This proposal was developed at subsequent meetings of the PAC in 66 and 69, when the Declaration on Peace and Cooperation and a special appeal to all European states were adopted.
At the ministerial meeting of the WD countries in the 69th and 70thPrague and Budapest have already formulated an agenda that will be included in the Conference on Cooperation and Security in Europe. In parallel with this, the process of establishing a dialogue with Western countries was taking place.
An agreement was signed with the Federal Republic of Germany, whichconfirmed the existing at the time of the border. And in 1971, an agreement was already concluded between the four leading powers on the status of West Berlin. This significantly weakened the tension on the continent and legally consolidated the results of the post-war world order.
Great contribution to the Meeting on Cooperation andsecurity in Europe was made by neutral countries that were least willing to be squeezed between two warring forces. Finland proposed to organize this event, as well as holding preliminary meetings on its territory.
In 1972 in the small town of Otaniemi nearFrom Helsinki official consultations of all parties have begun. These events lasted more than six months. As a result, it was decided to hold a Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the date of which became a reality. The summit was to be held in three stages, and its agenda included:
The Conference on Security and Cooperation inEurope, the year of which will go down in history, began on July 3, 1973 in Helsinki and lasted until the 7th. 35 states took part in it.
A.Gromyko presented the draft of the General Declaration on Collective Security. Their proposals on economic and cultural cooperation were made by the GDR, Hungary, Poland. The issues of human rights were paid much attention to the FRG, Italy, England, Canada.
As a result of the five-day talks, it was decided to follow the recommendations of the so-called Blue Book and formulate a final act at the second stage of the negotiations.
Its contribution to the Meeting on Cooperation andNeutral Switzerland also contributed to security. The second stage of negotiations was held in Geneva and stretched out for a long time, beginning on September 18, 1973. The main round ended two years later - on July 21, 1975. Commissions were established on the first three issues of the agenda, as well as a working group to discuss the fourth item.
In addition, the work was conducted in 12 subcommissions,which involved all stakeholders. During this time, 2500 meetings of the commission were held, at which 4700 proposals for a final agreement were examined. In addition to official meetings, there were many informal meetings between diplomats.
This work was not easy, because the dialogue was conductedcountries with different political systems, openly conflicting with each other. Attempts were made to introduce projects that could open the door for direct intervention in the internal affairs of states, which in itself was contrary to the spirit of the plan.
Be that as it may, this titanic work was not in vain, all documents were agreed upon and submitted for signing the Final Act.
The Final Meeting on Safety and Securitycooperation in Europe took place in Helsinki from July 30 to August 1, This was the most representative meeting in the history of the continent of the heads of state. All the leaders of 35 countries-participants of the agreement took part in it.
It was at this meeting that a treaty was signed on the principles that laid the foundation for collective security and cooperation on the continent for many years to come.
The main part of the document is the Declaration of Principles.
According to it, all countries should respectterritorial integrity, respect the inviolability of borders, settle conflicts peacefully and respect the basic rights and freedoms of its citizens. Thus ended the Helsinki Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the year of which became a new milestone in the relations of states.
The first main section of the final documentproclaimed the principle of peaceful settlement of conflicts. All disputes between states should be resolved not through violence. For the sake of avoiding misunderstandings, countries should openly notify all of the major military exercises, the movements of large armed groups, and invite observers in these cases.
The second section deals with the problems of cooperation. It discusses the exchange of experience and information in the field of science and technology, the development of uniform norms and standards.
The largest section deals with issues thatmost people are concerned about the humanitarian sphere. In connection with the diametrically opposed view of the state-person relations between the eastern and western camps, this section caused the greatest controversy in the consultations.
It stipulates the principles of respect for human rights, the possibility of crossing borders, guarantees for the reunification of families, cultural and sports cooperation between citizens of different countries.
The final, but not the last part of the document -section "Next Steps". It establishes the possibility of meetings and consultations of the participating countries in order to comply with the main principles of the Meeting. This part was to turn the final document into a real force, not a waste of time.
The end of the twentieth century was a period of collapsesocialist camp. The borders collapsed, and the integrity of states became an empty sound. All this was accompanied by unprecedented suffering of ordinary people, wars in the territories of the former Yugoslavia, the USSR.
The reaction to these events was the reorganization of the political and declarative body into a real organization in 1995 - the OSCE.
Today, in the light of recent events, in the face of the threatthe resumption of conserved military conflicts in the very center of the continent, the role of the 1975 Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe is more urgent than ever. This event clearly showed that even sworn enemies can agree among themselves for peace and stability.
