Dialogue, co-operation and multilateralism only way to safer future say OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Secretary General at Munich Security Conference

MUNICH, Germany, 17 February 2019 – At the Munich Security Conference, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia Miroslav Lajčák and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, both stressed that no single country can tackle today’s security challenges alone. Dialogue, co-operation and multilateralism are the only way to a safer future they reiterated, a message shared by many participants of this leading global gathering that focuses on security policy as well as current and future security challenges.

On the agenda for the 2019 conference were discussions on the future of the European Union; trade and international security; arms control; technological innovation; climate change; and the consequences of shifting power between China, Russia and the United States.

While in Munich, Lajčák met with government representatives from around the world to brief them on his priorities for the OSCE in 2018, including preventing and resolving conflict, a safer future, and effective multilateralism. He also discussed current developments, as well as peace and security challenges.

His meetings included Milo Đukanović, President of Montenegro; Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia; Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan; Chyngyz Aidarbekov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic; George Camba, Minister Delegate for European Affairs of Romania; Fiona Hill, Special Assistant to the President of the United States of America and Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs; and Melanne Verveer, the Chair’s OSCE Special Representative on Gender.

OSCE Secretary General Greminger had a number of meetings with representatives of international organizations and government officials including with the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the first Under-Secretary for the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office Vladimir Voronkov, Foreign Minister of Canada Chrystia Freeland and the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker.

He also took part in the high-level discussion on Security in Eastern Europe where he highlighted the unique role of the OSCE as a regional platform for dialogue.