DUSHANBE, December 4, 2015, Asia-Plus — The 22nd OSCE Ministerial Council is concluding in Belgrade, Serbia today.
The meeting that is taking place at the at the invitation of the 2015 OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic kicked off yesterday.
According to the OSCE’s website, the 22nd OSCE Ministerial Council began yesterday with a call for greater efforts to rebuild consensus on European security and renewed dialogue based on full respect for OSCE principles and commitments.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ivica Dacic encouraged participants to conduct an open, frank and constructive dialogue on all issues of common concern.
Addressing the meeting, which is being attended by over 40 Foreign Affairs Ministers and hundreds of high-level diplomats from the 57 OSCE participating States, 11 Partners for Co-operation and representatives of international organizations, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier highlighted the critical role that the OSCE is playing in facilitating the political process and de-escalating tensions in Ukraine.
“We proved to be the only organization with real room for maneuver, trusted by all sides for our impartiality and balanced approach, ready to reach out and build bridges. But while we should all be proud of what the OSCE has accomplished, we must recognize that ultimately it is up to the sides to end the conflict and to engage in good faith in the hard work of restoring peace and stability.”
The foreign ministers are discussing the crisis in and around Ukraine, migration, terrorism and other common challenges within and beyond the OSCE area, as well as ways to rebuild consensus on European security as a common project. The Council will set the course for the future work of the organization with Germany taking up the Chairmanship from 1 January 2016.
The Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE. The meeting, held annually, provides foreign ministers and more than 70 delegations of OSCE participating States, partner countries and several international organizations an opportunity to review and assess the Organization”s activities during the past year and offer national viewpoints on security matters.
