More countries boycott Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe conference

Poland's foreign minister has announced that he will not attend an OSCE foreign ministers' meeting in North Macedonia, after Ukraine and three Baltic states made similar moves.

"We cannot ignore the fact that the Russian Foreign Minister will be present at a meeting of an organization whose purpose is to build peace and security in Europe," Polish Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek told reporters on November 29, referring to the foreign ministers' meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The OSCE conference is scheduled to take place in the capital Skopje, North Macedonia, on November 30 and December 1. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed his participation in the event, a move that Mr. Vel Sek described as "unacceptable". The Polish Foreign Minister announced that he would not attend the conference, nor would he send a deputy representative.

Poland, which holds the OSCE presidency in 2022, did not allow Lavrov to attend the meeting, angering Russia. Ukraine and the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania also announced on November 28 that they would boycott the OSCE foreign ministers' meeting.

Polish Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek speaks in Warsaw in February 2022. Photo: AFP — Polish Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek speaks in Warsaw in February 2022. Photo: *AFP*

Lavrov arrived in Skopje on November 29 after a five-hour flight to avoid countries that have imposed sanctions on Moscow, Russian news agency TASS reported. Russia had previously asked Bulgaria and North Macedonia to open their airspace to the plane carrying Lavrov.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow had received several requests for bilateral meetings in North Macedonia and the agency would announce Lavrov's specific schedule in Skopje later.

Josep Borrell, the European Union's foreign policy chief, acknowledged concerns about Lavrov's visit to Skopje, but said it was an opportunity for Russia to hear international opinion on the campaign in Ukraine.

A senior State Department official said Secretary of State Antony Blinken would still travel to Skopje to show solidarity with the host country and the OSCE. However, plans call for Blinken to meet with his North Macedonian counterpart and other like-minded countries on November 29 and then leave before the summit begins.

The OSCE has 57 members from North America, Europe and Asia. The West often describes the OSCE as an important forum for former Cold War "enemies" Russia and the United States to participate. North Macedonia currently holds the rotating chair of the OSCE.

Nhu Tam (According to Reuters, AFP )

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