Press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

VIENNA, 30 June 2011 - The following is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on 30 June. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States.

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly resolution aims to prevent cyber warfare

COPENHAGEN, 30 June 2011— Electricity black outs. Nuclear plant malfunctions. Attacks considered to be dealt by ‘brute force’ on unsuspecting government networks. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly is now considering a resolution to enhance international co-operation on cyber security.

The resolution introduced by Francois Xavier de Donnea (MP, Belgium) calls for creating:
• confidence-building measures to address State use of cyber technologies in conflicts,
• national debates on international commitments concerning codes of conduct for States using cyber technology,
• information exchanges on cyber security policies, technologies and strategies.

“When it comes to security, so much of our confidence-building measures to this point have been aimed at those things we see,” said de Donnea. “This measure calls on all our states to do the work needed to address the less visible threats of cyber security.”

Fifty-four MPs from 22 countries cosponsored de Donnea’s resolution. The resolution will be considered for inclusion in the Assembly’s Belgrade Declaration, which helps shape OSCE and national policy. Parliamentarians from more than 50 participating OSCE countries will vote on the resolution and declaration in Belgrade.

The Belgrade Annual Session, including committee debates and votes, are open to the press and public. The session runs 6-10 July 2011. For more information on the Annual Session, click here.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 320 parliamentarians from 55 countries spanning, Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international cooperation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.