Prague, Jan 9 (CTK) – Czech diplomat Stefan Füle, 54, former European enlargement commissioner, may run for the post of secretary-general of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), a diplomatic source has confirmed for CTK.
The government will deal with Füle’s nomination in January, the source said. The Foreign Ministry refused to comment on the information.
Political analyst Vit Dostal, from the Association for International Affairs (AMO), said the post of the OSCE head is prestigious.
“The OSCE is now practically the sole international organisation, at which a dialogue between the West and Russia is conducted,” Dostal said.
He said a number of countries think that it is no longer necessary to meet Russia in the EU-Russia or NATO-Russia formats as before.
That is why the importance of the OSCE in relation to Russia has increased.
However, Dostal is rather sceptical about the chances of Fule because Russia blacklisted him in May 2015. Fule participated in the EU negotiations with Ukraine about the association agreement, with which Russia disagreed. He was also opposed to Russia’s occupation of Crimea.
To be possibly elected, Fule would also need support from Moscow because all member countries must reach agreement on the candidate.
“It will be very difficult to enlist agreement of Russia ” in the current circumstances, Dostal said.
Fule is now the foreign minister’s special representative for the OSCE.
During his career, Fule has been ambassador to several countries, including Lithuania and Britain.
He was minister for European affairs in Jan Fischer’s caretaker government in 2009. In 2010-14, he was European commissioner for enlargement and neighbourly relations.
The post of the OSCE secretary-general has been held by Lamberto Zannier of Italy since 2011. His second three-year term expires in June. The secretary-general is elected by the Council of Ministers, which is comprised of all member countries’ foreign ministers.
