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SWITZERLAND'S PRESIDENCY MAY HELP OSCE WIN BACK KEY ROLE IN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT - VIEW
ITAR-TASS, Russia
January 16, 2014 Thursday 08:23 PM GMT+4
VIENNA January 16
- Switzerland, which has assumed the rotating presidency of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, may play an
important role in OSCE's winning back its role of a key player in the
settlement of regional conflicts, Russia's permanent representative
to the OSCE Andrei Kelin told reporters on Thursday on the sidelines
of an OSCE Permanent Council's session.
The diplomat believes "the Swiss diplomacy has showed its very
strong side, it enjoys big influence in Europe," he said. "We expect
Switzerland will play a certain role in giving the OSCE a new value in
the next two years," he said, noting that the organization's original
role was in overcoming demarcation lines.
Speaking at the first session of the Permanent Council this year,
Swiss President Didier Burkhalter said work to look for ways out of
unsettled conflicts was among the priority tasks. He hoped this year
should see reconciliation in the Balkans with the OSCE playing an
important role in that, supporting at the same time the implementation
of agreements reached between Belgrade and Pristina.
Focusing on the settlement in the mostly Armenian populated Azerbaijani
enclave of Nagorno Karabakh, he admitted that the road to a peaceful
settlement was long and thorny despite a certain improvement of
relations seen over the recent time. The president also said he
believed that not only the authorities of Azerbaijan and Armenia
should be involved in a dialogue, but also the civil societies of
the two states.
As for the conflict around South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in the
settlement of which Switzerland is a mediator offering the Geneva floor
for discussion, he said it would be important to create a mechanism
to prevent incidents. Burkhalter said Switzerland would also seek
the resumption of a discussion on the OSCE's presence in Georgia on
condition the countries-participants demonstrated flexibility and a
creative approach.
ITAR-TASS, Russia
January 16, 2014 Thursday 08:23 PM GMT+4
VIENNA January 16
- Switzerland, which has assumed the rotating presidency of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, may play an
important role in OSCE's winning back its role of a key player in the
settlement of regional conflicts, Russia's permanent representative
to the OSCE Andrei Kelin told reporters on Thursday on the sidelines
of an OSCE Permanent Council's session.
The diplomat believes "the Swiss diplomacy has showed its very
strong side, it enjoys big influence in Europe," he said. "We expect
Switzerland will play a certain role in giving the OSCE a new value in
the next two years," he said, noting that the organization's original
role was in overcoming demarcation lines.
Speaking at the first session of the Permanent Council this year,
Swiss President Didier Burkhalter said work to look for ways out of
unsettled conflicts was among the priority tasks. He hoped this year
should see reconciliation in the Balkans with the OSCE playing an
important role in that, supporting at the same time the implementation
of agreements reached between Belgrade and Pristina.
Focusing on the settlement in the mostly Armenian populated Azerbaijani
enclave of Nagorno Karabakh, he admitted that the road to a peaceful
settlement was long and thorny despite a certain improvement of
relations seen over the recent time. The president also said he
believed that not only the authorities of Azerbaijan and Armenia
should be involved in a dialogue, but also the civil societies of
the two states.
As for the conflict around South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in the
settlement of which Switzerland is a mediator offering the Geneva floor
for discussion, he said it would be important to create a mechanism
to prevent incidents. Burkhalter said Switzerland would also seek
the resumption of a discussion on the OSCE's presence in Georgia on
condition the countries-participants demonstrated flexibility and a
creative approach.