Dapkiunas: Ignoring dissent in the OSCE is a path to its ruin

Wednesday, 12.11.2025 - 11:50
To ignore the multitude of voices and divergence of views within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is to pave the way for its destruction, Belarus’ Permanent Representative to the OSCE Andrei Dapkiunas said at the organization’s session ahead of the OSCE ministerial meeting, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 
The meeting discussed the vision presented by the current Finnish Chairmanship for enhancing the effectiveness and modernizing the activities of the organization. Assessing the multi-page document containing proposals from the OSCE participating states on how to make the organization fit for its purpose, the permanent representative of Belarus pointed out that the document fails to address the main reason for the organization’s current state and barely answers the most profound, fundamental question of “why?”. Why was it necessary to sign the Helsinki Final Act, why has Europe found itself in its current situation, why are the diplomats of the OSCE participating states unable to achieve the same success as their predecessors in 1975?
 
In the view of the Belarusian diplomat, the OSCE Chairmanship’s document does not provide honest and balanced answers to these questions.
 
Andrei Dapkiunas stated that today we need to talk about saving not so much the organization itself, but about saving the future of multilateral interaction and cooperation in the region, the future of security in Europe. The representative of Belarus suggested that states start with something simple: to communicate with each other in the large hall, in small groups, one-on-one. The method does not matter; the important thing is to talk to each other, to listen, to think.
 
“Moreover, it is important to engage in discussions not only with friends and like-minded people, but primarily with those who hold different views,” the diplomat emphasized.
 
The Belarusian ambassador stated that a key difference between the process leading to the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and today’s proceedings in Vienna is that, half a century ago, diplomats from opposing geopolitical camps did classical diplomatic work, conducting complex negotiations behind closed doors and without unnecessary publicity. Today, tempted by the immediacy and PR appeal of social media, many delegations practice what some call ‘public diplomacy’; this happens weekly at the meetings of the OSCE Permanent Council. In Andrei Dapkiunas’ opinion, this can hardly be called diplomacy.
 
“During five decades of a relatively successful Helsinki process, many have forgotten that the Helsinki Final Act was signed not only to mark a newfound sense of international unity, but primarily to overcome alienation and hostility between adversarial states. Unfortunately, this task now faces the OSCE participating states once again,” he noted.
 
Addressing the now frequent attempts to challenge the OSCE’s fundamental principle of consensus and, in essence, exclude Belarus and Russia from the decision-making mechanism, Andrei Dapkiunas stated that such ideas demonstrate a clear misunderstanding of the very reasons for the OSCE’s creation.
 
“The well-known saying that the United Nations was created not to bring heaven to mankind, but to save it from hell, is fully applicable to the OSCE as well. To believe the OSCE can or should exist solely as an organization of like-minded states is a profoundly naive worldview. Moreover, for the OSCE itself, such an approach would mean collapse; it is a path to nowhere,” the diplomat said.
 
The permanent representative of Belarus poured cold water on the proposal to compile a special OSCE code of conduct for mutually respectful behavior. Instead, he suggested that every participant simply make a personal choice to adopt a method of interaction that avoids insult or belittlement and is not rooted in a sense of personal or collective superiority.
 
“An arrogant assertion of one’s own rightness has never contributed to building a dialogue,” stated Andrei Dapkiunas. “Every time diplomats in a discussion refer to a sovereign government as a ‘regime’, every time they categorically throw ‘you must’ or ‘you should’ in the face of their interlocutor, every time they casually slap cheap accusatory labels on their opponents – each such time these self-righteous speakers simply exclude themselves from the game, become invisible to their opponents, and their opinions cease to matter to others.”
 
While wishing the OSCE Chairmanship’s advisory process success, the permanent representative of Belarus cautioned that a true revitalization of the organization will only be achieved once each participating state makes a conscious decision to fundamentally change its approach to interacting with other member states. 

 

 

 

Międzynarodowe Radio Białoruś

Радио "Беларусь" / Radio Belarus
 
Internet broadcasts
Now Playing:
01.40 News (EN)

Next:
15.00 News (EN)


Internetcast Schedule
Satellite Schedule (see satellite parameters here)
 
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS


Dear
English Service
Radio Belarus,

Greetings to all staff and listeners of English Service of Radio Belarus.
We listen your webcast program. Your program quality is very nice. Your website is colorful & documented.
We liked your programs, News, and Current Affairs Program. We are interested about Culture, life style of Belarusian people, historical places, Tourist attraction and destination of Belarus.
Please send some program schedule (A19), Calendar , sticker, view card, Promotional items of Radio Belarus for our club members and students.
21st June was fifth International Yoga Day observed across the world. The theme for Yoga Day 2019 was "Yoga for Climate Action”. On this day, which is dedicated to inner and outer well-being of human body, people across the world practice yoga in groups. The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga, a physical, mental and spiritual practice.
We send you some photos related the program which was held in our area on the occasion of International Yoga Day. Our club members are also practice some Yoga.
We are waiting for your reply.

With best wishes,
SHIVENDU PAUL
PRESIDENT
METALI LISTENERS' CLUB
INDIA

Answer:

Dear Shivendu Paul and Metali Listeners' Club,

dthank you for your comment! We'll send you some of our souvenirs ASAP.
Stay tuned and 73,
RBI

Hallo Radio Belarus,

ja der Dieter Leupold ist jetzt auch hier im Gästebuch vertreten... Super, bald sind wir alle zusammen hier im "Belarus Hörerclub", Dieter könnte 1.Vorsitzender werden und Jana und Elena Ehrernmitglieder, Helmut Matt Schriftführer, Alfred Albrecht Beisitzer und ich mache Hausmeister:-) Lutz Winkler wie fit bist Du bereits wieder, für Dich finden wir auch eine nette Aufgabe:-) Beste Grüße und ein schönes Wochenende.

Dietmar

Answer:

Lieber Dietmar,

das stimmt, für alle finden wir im Hörerklub eine Aufgabe!:)
Liebe Grüße und einen guten Start in die Woche!

I recently learned my surname is not Polish, but Belarusian. I heard you on shortwave in the past and am so happy to listen online in English. We hear nothing about Belarus here in the US so I am so glad to learn about your country. Keep on broadcasting in English. I also joined the Hoererklub on Facebook as I can understand German. If you have information or a station pennant, I will very much appreciate it.
Sheryl Paszkiewicz, 1015 Green St, Manitowoc WI 54220 USA

Answer:

Dear Sheryl, thank you very much for listening to us! We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. By the way, if you're interested, you can participate in our "The Old Country's Loving Call" project and send a greeting to Belarus. You can find more detailed information at http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/hukaje_eng

Also, in case you like sports, here's the link to an international competition of ours "My Greetings to 2nd European Games" http://www.radiobelarus.by/en/content/games_eng

73 from the entire staff of RBI! Прывiтанне з Малой Радiзмы :)

Hello from Birmingham United Kingdom!

My name is Michael.

I really enjoyed listening to your program on the Hotbird satellite 13e. I very much love listening to your news and current affairs.
Ask you to send me a small gifts. I hope you guys are all good.

Lots of love from UK

Especially enjoying learning about Belarus. History and culture

Michael Rogers

Flat 2 463 City road Birmingham

B17 8LG

United Kingdom

Answer:

Michael,

thank you very much for listening to us! We're glad that you enjoy our programs. We'll send you some of our souvenirs as soon as we can. Best regards and stay tuned!

Hello. I am a new listener to your English service. I listen on the Radio 1 News app. I enjoyed listening to the news. Do you have any information on shortwave broadcasts you can send me?

Thank you,

Joe Cosimo

23 Ivy Ln, Dupont, PA 18641 U.S.A.

Answer:

Dear Joe, thank you for listening to Radio Belarus International! We're glad that you enjoyed our news. RBI broadcasts on shortwave only in German on 6005 and 3985 kHz. News and programs in English are available via our website and satellites. We'll also send you a postcard and a small souvenir as soon as we can. 73!

Hello,

My name is Younes Lazazi, I am from Algeria.
I am very happy that radio Belarus has started broadcasting in Arabic.
I would like to receive stickers and printed matter of the station and the Arabic and french services if possible.
My address:

Monsieur Younes Lazazi 14 rue Maza Boualem El-Harrach 16009 Alger Algérie

Thank you.

Answer:

Dear Younes Lazazi,

we're happy that you like our boradcasts. We'll send you some of our printed materials via mail in the nearest future. 73!

Dear English Service Radio Belarus,

Greetings to all staff and listeners of English Service of Radio Belarus. We listen your webcast program. Your program quality is very nice. Your website is colorful & documented. We liked your programs, News, and Current Affairs Program. We are interested about Culture, life style of Belarusian people, historical places, Tourist attraction and destination of Belarus.

Please send some program schedule, sticker, view card, Promotional items of Radio Belarus for our club members and students.

We are waiting for your reply.

With best wishes,

SHIVENDU PAUL

President

Metali Listeners' Club

India

Answer:

Dear Shivendu Paul,

thank you very much for listening to us! Your club is among our most dedicated listeners. We will send you some of our promotional products as soon as possible. 73!

Hello!

Did the arabic programmes start? I don't see them on your Internetcast schedule page. Thanks!

Answer:

Hello! The Arabic programmes have been on air since October, every Monday. You can see the schedule and listen to them on our Arabic page http://radiobelarus.by/ar

Frequencies
 

FM transmitters and frequencies:

Rakitnitsa - 106.2 MHz
Hrodna - 95.7 MHz
Svislach - 104.4 MHz
Heraniony - 99.9 MHz
Braslau - 106.6 MHz
Miadzel - 102.0 MHz


Satellite broadcasting:

see satellite parameters here

 

Broadcasts