OSCE Chairperson, in Moscow, emphasizes need to promote trust and reconciliation

MOSCOW, 29 March 2013 – The OSCE Chairperson, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara, on a working visit to Moscow today, emphasized the need to promote trust, confidence and reconciliation among the OSCE participating States.

“As OSCE Chair, Ukraine attaches particular attention to maintaining a balanced approach across the different areas of the OSCE’s work, and to promoting trust, confidence and reconciliation among the participating States,” he said.

In a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the Chairperson outlined Ukraine’s priorities for the year, including the protracted conflicts, which he said continued to threaten stability in the region. He emphasized that they can only be resolved by “peaceful means, within the existing formats and with due respect to the interests of all parties.”

“Both Ukraine and Russia are guarantors in the Transdniestrian settlement process. Along with the OSCE as a mediator we understand well the complexities of the situation. I hope that our experience may help us move the process forward,” he said.

Kozhara and Lavrov also discussed the Helsinki+40 process aimed at strengthening trust and confidence among the participating States and making the OSCE more efficient and effective as it marks the 40th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act in 2015.

He also met the Speaker of the State Duma, Sergey Naryshkin as well as the Vice-Prime Minister and President’s Special Representative for Transdniestria, Dmitriy Rogozin.

During his visit Minister Kozhara gave a speech on Ukraine’s OSCE Chairmanship at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.