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OSCE Ministerial Council opens with call to address transnational
threats, protracted conflicts, strengthen engagement with partners
armradio.am
06.12.2011 13:43
Ensuring security in the OSCE region requires further efforts to
tackle transnational threats, prevent and resolve conflicts, and
engage meaningfully with partners in the Mediterranean and Asia,
foreign ministers of the 56 OSCE participating States heard at the
start of the 18th OSCE Ministerial Council in Vilnius today. In the
meeting, Ministers discussed the need to reinforce the OSCE's efforts
in all of these areas, with a view to realizing the common vision of a
Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security community.
Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of Lithuania, welcoming the ministers
and high-level representatives to the two-day meeting, said: "It is
important to continue your work towards resolving protracted
conflicts, dealing with new threats and challenges, and consolidating
the fundamental values of the OSCE." She also stressed that "it is
vital that human rights and the fundamental principles of democracy be
transferred into national policies and practice. This applies to all
human rights and fundamental freedoms - ranging from free elections to
the safety of journalists."
The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius
Ažubalis, recalling the vision of a Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian
security community set forth by leaders at the OSCE Summit in Astana
last year, urged states to respect their OSCE commitments.
Ažubalis underscored progress already made in addressing transnational
threats, called for increased engagement with Afghanistan, and urged
the Ministers to support the OSCE's Mediterranean Partner countries in
their democratic transition, stressing that "their progress, security
and stability are ours as well".
Ažubalis highlighted recent progress made on restarting the official
talks on the Transdniestrian conflict, urging the parties "to seize
this opportunity" and called for increased efforts in resolving the
other protracted conflicts in the OSCE region.
OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier highlighted the need to move
towards achieving a Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security community:
"That vision needs now to be better articulated and operationalized."
"Our collective task over the next two days is to build on this
effort, in order to provide further impetus to the work of the next
Chairmanships," he said, outlining a path forward for the Organization
that included proposals to consolidate and strengthen efforts to
address transnational threats and work with Partner countries, as well
as intensified interaction between the OSCE and the academic
community. He also stressed his support for the Chairmanship's efforts
to strengthen the OSCE's capability to address all phases of the
conflict cycle and urged Ministers to take concrete decisions in this
area.
From: A. Papazian
threats, protracted conflicts, strengthen engagement with partners
armradio.am
06.12.2011 13:43
Ensuring security in the OSCE region requires further efforts to
tackle transnational threats, prevent and resolve conflicts, and
engage meaningfully with partners in the Mediterranean and Asia,
foreign ministers of the 56 OSCE participating States heard at the
start of the 18th OSCE Ministerial Council in Vilnius today. In the
meeting, Ministers discussed the need to reinforce the OSCE's efforts
in all of these areas, with a view to realizing the common vision of a
Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security community.
Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of Lithuania, welcoming the ministers
and high-level representatives to the two-day meeting, said: "It is
important to continue your work towards resolving protracted
conflicts, dealing with new threats and challenges, and consolidating
the fundamental values of the OSCE." She also stressed that "it is
vital that human rights and the fundamental principles of democracy be
transferred into national policies and practice. This applies to all
human rights and fundamental freedoms - ranging from free elections to
the safety of journalists."
The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius
Ažubalis, recalling the vision of a Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian
security community set forth by leaders at the OSCE Summit in Astana
last year, urged states to respect their OSCE commitments.
Ažubalis underscored progress already made in addressing transnational
threats, called for increased engagement with Afghanistan, and urged
the Ministers to support the OSCE's Mediterranean Partner countries in
their democratic transition, stressing that "their progress, security
and stability are ours as well".
Ažubalis highlighted recent progress made on restarting the official
talks on the Transdniestrian conflict, urging the parties "to seize
this opportunity" and called for increased efforts in resolving the
other protracted conflicts in the OSCE region.
OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier highlighted the need to move
towards achieving a Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security community:
"That vision needs now to be better articulated and operationalized."
"Our collective task over the next two days is to build on this
effort, in order to provide further impetus to the work of the next
Chairmanships," he said, outlining a path forward for the Organization
that included proposals to consolidate and strengthen efforts to
address transnational threats and work with Partner countries, as well
as intensified interaction between the OSCE and the academic
community. He also stressed his support for the Chairmanship's efforts
to strengthen the OSCE's capability to address all phases of the
conflict cycle and urged Ministers to take concrete decisions in this
area.
From: A. Papazian