The Taoiseach has called on Russia to end its military campaign in Chechnya and to begin immediate political dialogue to bring about a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Addressing the OSCE summit in Istanbul yesterday, Mr Ahern said the conflict was having "appalling consequences" for the civilian population and the unhindered delivery of international humanitarian assistance must be guaranteed.
Ireland fully respected "the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation and its rights to protect its citizens, but Ireland's message, like that of our EU partners, is to stop the military campaign and start immediate political dialogue, which is the only way to lasting peace".
Mr Ahern welcomed the provision in the OSCE charter on security for greater civilian involvement in OSCE missions. "In situations of conflict prevention and crisis management, there is a clear need for a flexible capacity to provide civilian experts to assist in multinational operations when the rapid deployment of the civilian component can often be a critical factor."
He said the OSCE and the Council of Europe should adopt a coherent and joint approach to ensure respect for their values and standards. Ireland has recently assumed the chairmanship of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers and was committed to intensifying the council's contribution to the development of the role and work of the OSCE.
"The Council of Europe and the OSCE share common principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law," he said. "Although they have different mandates, membership and working methods, their roles are mutually reinforcing."
On his visit to Kosovo two weeks ago, he had seen at first hand the practical benefits that could result when a range of institutions worked together in the cause of stability and security.
One lesson from the experience of Kosovo was "that no organisation - the United Nations, the OSCE, the European Union or NATO - was any more successful than any other in terms of conflict prevention. We need to examine carefully these weaknesses and see how we can do better in future".
He said there was also a need to strengthen co-operation at a wider level so that crises such as that in Kosovo do not have broader regional destabilising consequences.