Helsinki Accords: Shadow Government

On June 3, 2021, the Helsinki Commission issued a press release commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Commission on Security and Cooperation (OSCE) Region. Chances are that you have no idea who or what they are and why the commemoration would matter. The intent of this article is to document the significance because the Helsinki System truly is a hidden hand of government operating in the shadows but directly affecting our lives. The Commission is comprised of members of Congress – but NOBODY voted for them to operate as an arm of foreign policy embedded in the Congress.

From the Press Release:

“The Helsinki Commission has played a vital role in elevating the moral dimension of U.S. foreign policy and prioritizing the protection of fundamental freedoms in our dealings with other nations,” said Chairman Cardin. “From fighting for fair treatment of Jews in the Soviet Union, to developing landmark legislation to address human trafficking, to demanding sanctions on human rights violators and kleptocrats, and so much more, the commission consistently has broken new ground.”

“For 45 years, the commission has flourished as a bipartisan and bicameral platform for collaboration within the federal government. Its purpose is not to support a specific party or administration, but instead to advance transatlantic cooperation, promote regional security and stability, and hold OSCE participating States accountable to their promises,” said Sen. Wicker. “Our commissioners” united front against threats to democracy and human rights worldwide has become a pillar of U.S. international engagement.”

History: Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe

“The Helsinki Conference had its origins in early Cold War discussions. The Soviet Union first sought a European conference on security issues in 1954 at the Geneva Conference in the hopes that such a meeting would result in formal recognition of the political boundaries in Eastern Europe that had been established after World War II.”

“Discussions started with the Helsinki Consultations in 1972 and continued until the opening of the formal Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) in July of 1973. From the summer of 1973 to the summer of 1975, intensive negotiations continued in Geneva, until the participants finally met again in Helsinki on August 1, 1975 to sign the Helsinki Final Act. Every European country except Albania signed the Act, in addition to the United States and Canada.”

Also in 1972, UN Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm

United Nations – international law, 1972 and 1992

Principles for Establishment of Rule of Law Criminal Justice System, William Cohen

Background on the CSCE and the Helsinki Process

. . . the Helsinki Accords, the Final Act is not a treaty, but rather a politically binding agreement consisting of three main sections informally known as “baskets,” adopted on the basis of consensus. This comprehensive Act contains a broad range of measures designed to enhance security and cooperation in the region extending from Vancouver to Vladivostok.

Basket I – the Security Dimension – contains a Declaration of Principles Guiding Relations between participating States, including the all-important Principle VII on human rights and fundamental freedoms. It also includes a section on confidence-building measures and other aspects of security and disarmament aimed at increasing military transparency.

Basket II – the Economic Dimension – covers economic, scientific, technological and environmental cooperation, as well as migrant labor, vocational training and the promotion of tourism.

Basket III – the Social Dimension^* – is devoted to cooperation in humanitarian and other fields: freer movement of people; human contacts, including family reunification and visits; freedom of information, including working conditions for journalists; and cultural and educational exchanges. Principle VII and Basket III together have come to be known as the “Human Dimension.” [* I applied the name social dimension because that’s what it is. Notice that the three dimensions correspond to the UN’s organization – Security, Economic, Social (Eco-Soc).]

The ten principles are defined in the above Security Dimension

Principle I: Sovereign equality, respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty;
Principle II: Refraining from the threat or use of force;
Principle III: Inviolability of frontiers;
Principle IV: Territorial integrity of States;
Principle V: Peaceful settlement of disputes;
Principle VI: Non-intervention in internal affairs;
Principle VII: Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief;
Principle VIII: Equal rights and self-determination of peoples;
Principle IX: Cooperation among States; and
Principle X: Fulfillment in good faith of obligations under international law.