The Clingendael Academy received a delegation of eleven Junior Diplomats from Central Asia and Mongolia.  They participated in a diplomatic training course to improve their knowledge and skills related to the themes of Diplomacy, Stability and Prosperity. On 2 July, the Asian diplomats were visited by two political advisors to the High Commissioner on National Minorities (OSCE) based in The Hague. They exchanged ideas about the role and challenges of the HCNM in future conflict. 

HCNM since 1992

The OSCE’s High Commissioner for National Minorities was formally established in 1992 as a security instrument for conflict-prevention at the earliest stage possible. The decision of the OSCE’s member states (CSCE at that moment in time) to create an international institution exclusively dedicated to preventing  inter-ethnic conflicts was a response to the violent rupture of the former Yugoslavia and increased domestic tensions throughout the former Soviet region. By addressing ethnic tensions and preventing inter-state hostilities over national minority issues, the High Commissioner has proven an effective instrument in the promotion of stability and peace.

HCNM and Central Asian states

As the collapse of the Soviet Union brought about the establishment of new Central Asian states, and consequently the emergence of new minorities, the HCNM has worked with Central Asian states on the themes of state building and identity formation. Recent renewed commitment from Central Asian states has proven welcome, as increased minority tensions in recent years were displayed in several parts of the region.

The Mandate of the High Commissioner

The High Commissioner’s mandate to provide early warning and early action exclusively focuses on ”tensions involving national minority issues which have not yet developed beyond an early warning stage, but, in the judgment of the High Commissioner, have the potential to develop into a conflict within the OSCE area” (from OSCE website). From her office in The Hague, the High Commissioner, Astrid Thors of Finland travels extensively through the OSCE area to identify the nature of tensions and potential security concerns. Once she deems necessary, she engages in structural assistance and preventive diplomacy to de-escalate conflict potential. As such, the High Commissioner can assist participating states by providing advice and structural support. Examples are the sharing of best practices and professional support for institutional reforms, training and mediation. 

Quiet Diplomacy

The High Commissioner’s mandate provides for a considerable level of independence, as her involvement in a situation does not require the approval from the state(s) concerned or from the permanent council of the OSCE. This way, the High Commissioner is able to visit countries independently and to maintain contact with both national minorities and government representatives at her own discretion. Reaching sustainable solutions for sensitive minority issues obviously does however require a basis of mutual trust, and a level of consent upon the involvement of the High Commissioner.  This is why confidentiality,  also referred to as ‘quiet diplomacy’, is one of the main characteristics emphasized in its mandate.

In discussion with the Diplomats

The Central Asian Junior diplomats spoke about the advantages and disadvantages of this form of confidentiality, pointing to questions of transparency and dedication of different parties involved in sensitive issues. All members to the discussion agreed that the High Commissioner can perform a substantial and effective role through its diplomatic tools to support good governance of inter-state relations, without promoting a particular system of (democratic) governance –the latter being of specific relevance in those areas where third party attention to conflict potential might increase government resistance to any third party involvement at all.

This visit by officers from the HCNM  was part of a diplomatic training programme for diplomats from Mongolia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. This successful programme has just been ended after a three week training at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague.

By Dianne Slot (Clingendael Academy)