ABSTRACT
Russian behaviour towards the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) did change during the period from 2000-2012 and these changes can be linked to events in the Euro-Atlantic region. This chapter considers issues that Russia has with the institutions of the OSCE, and the specific challenges confronting Russia in its relationship with Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), an institution that as one Central European ambassador stated, 'Putin really dislikes'. Russia's membership in the OSCE guarantees that Russia involves in conversations relating to Euro-Atlantic security. The OSCE's 'First Basket', and the one that Russia's leaders believe is the most important aspect of the organisation's work, is the politico-military dimension of the organisation. The fact that Russia, under Medvedev, made the decision to allow ODIHR election observers into Russia for the parliamentary and presidential elections for the first time since 2004 was also an area of progress from the Putin era.
