ATHENS, 19 September 2009 - The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, noting U.S. President Barack Obama's announced plans for missile defence in Europe, expressed today hope that this development would give new impetus to the Corfu Process, the OSCE-anchored, wide-ranging strategic dialogue aiming at restoring confidence and trust among all OSCE partners.

"The process that we launched at our meeting of OSCE foreign ministers on Corfu last June - the Corfu Process - aims at restoring confidence and trust, alleviate tensions and increase the joint capabilities to address the new and outstanding security challenges of 21st century Europe. I am confident that these latest developments will give new impetus to the Chairmanship's efforts to advance the ongoing dialogue among participating States within the framework of the Corfu process," Bakoyannis said.