DUSHANBE, January 15, 2014, Asia-Plus — The new OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Switzerland’s Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, will outline the Swiss Chairmanship’s priorities to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on January 16, press release issued by the OSCE said.
Switzerland took over the rotating Chairmanship of the Organization on January 1, 2014 from Ukraine. During its Chairmanship Switzerland will work closely with Serbia, which will chair the OSCE in 2015.
The Swiss Chairmanship will work under the leitmotif ‘Create a Security Community for the Benefit of Everyone’ and focus on fostering security and stability, improving people’s lives, and strengthening the OSCE’s capacity to act.
Burkhalter will discuss the plans of the Swiss Chairmanship in the areas of conflict prevention and resolution, with special emphasis on the Western Balkans and South Caucasus. He will also explain the priorities in the human dimension, in addressing transnational threats and in engaging young people in the OSCE.
Young people from the participating States will meet in parallel at the Hofburg as part of a Model OSCE initiative.
The Permanent Council is a regular decision-making body gathering representatives of all 57 participating States of the Organization and 11 Partners for Cooperation. It convenes weekly in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and to make decisions.
