Secretariat - External Co-operation

The Section for External Co-operation supports the Secretary General, the Chairmanship and participating States in dialogue and co-operation with Partner States and in maintaining institutional co-operation with partner organizations at headquarters level. A Decision of the Permanent Council on 29 June 2000 (PC.DEC/364) stipulates that the Section for External Co-operation, together with other Sections within the Secretariat, is responsible for the implementation of the modalities for co-operation, in accordance with the 1999 Platform for Co-operative Security.

The Platform for Co-operative Security, which was adopted at the Istanbul Summit in 1999 as the operational document of the Charter for European Security, constitutes the basis of OSCE's co-operation with international organizations and institutions. It calls for strengthening "the mutually reinforcing nature of the relationship between those organizations and institutions concerned with the promotion of comprehensive security within the OSCE area."

The Platform outlines general principles and modalities of OSCE's co-operation with those organizations and institutions, including regular contacts, cross-representation at appropriate meetings and other arrangements.

The importance of strengthening co-operation with organizations and institutions in the OSCE area, as well as with partners from neighbouring areas, was reiterated in the Bucharest Plan of Action for Combating Terrorism (2001), and the Maastricht Strategy to Address Threats to Security and Stability in 21st Century (2003). The latter contains a section specifically dedicated to co-operation with other international organizations and institutions.