30th OSCE Ministerial Council
National Statement
Delivered by H.E Ambassador Ian Biggs, Australia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and International Organisations in Vienna
1 December 2023
Chair, Ministers, Excellencies, distinguished delegates.
Australia thanks North Macedonia for hosting us here in Skopje this week. We acknowledge the important leadership of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Minister Osmani throughout the year.
We also acknowledge the contributions—and the sacrifices—that many OSCE Participating States and partners have made over recent years in order to support global peace and stability.
As we approach the end of 2023, Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine continues. Russia’s actions continue to impose immense human suffering. It serves as a stark reminder that the unilateral actions of one can impact many.
Australia’s commitment in support of Ukraine remains unshaken. We will continue to provide assistance, with the objective of empowering Ukraine to end Russia’s war on its own terms.
Let us be clear – a world where one’s sovereignty remains inviolable and countries are free from coercion – be that military, political or economic – benefits us all.
Those that seek to challenge these basic expectations should expect a collective and decisive response.
In the same way that Russia’s actions have sent shockwaves through our global architecture, similarly, the challenges we face in our region – the Indo-Pacific – have significant consequences for security and prosperity across the globe.
So, turning as you would expect to the Indo-Pacific, Australia does not question a country’s right to modernise its armed forces. But we are concerned when it happens at a pace and scale not seen in the world for nearly a century with little transparency or assurance about strategic intent.
And destabilising actions, such as North Korea’s ongoing nuclear weapons development and missile launches, remain a risk to peace.
Australia will continue to contribute to the regional balance of power that keeps the peace in our region.
And we will, through our actions, demonstrate the type of region, and world, we want to live in – open, stable and prosperous.
Australia supports practical steps to enhance Indo-Pacific stability and prosperity, ensuring that all who have a voice are heard.
We are focused on mutual strategic reassurance, on risk reduction measures and on opening lines of communication at all levels.
We are helping to maintain the conditions for peace and stability—while playing our part in collective deterrence of aggression and coercion by transparently developing our defensive capabilities.
And we continue to enhance our engagement with our allies and partners in the region, through supporting the centrality of regional bodies such as ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum, while cooperating with our Quad partners, India, Japan and the US, on a positive and practical agenda in our neighbourhood.
We remain committed to the international rules-based order, and remain equally committed to supporting multinational institutions like the OSCE so that they benefit all.
As we come to the end of another year, it is clear that the challenges we face cannot be addressed alone. All our regions are connected. All of our security is interlinked.
And fora such as these remain as critical as ever.
Australia welcomes the continued efforts of the OSCE. And we acknowledge those here who have worked to build peace and security in the OSCE area, despite those that would seek to obstruct and undermine those efforts.
We look forward to continued collaboration in the year to come.
Thank you.