Сurrent issues in region, preparation for December Kyiv Ministerial Council are in focus of OSCE Troika-EU ministerial meeting

LUXEMBOURG, 21 October 2013 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius, whose country holds EU Presidency, co-chaired today’s  OSCE Troika – EU Ministerial meeting.

The meeting‘s aim is to maintain high-level political dialogue on regional security agenda between the EU and the OSCE. The Ministers focused on security developments in the OSCE region, in particular on conflict related issues.

Referring the latest round of 5+2 Transdniestrian settlement negotiations in Brussels in the beginning of October, the OSCE Chair said: “It was a good example of co-operation in pursuing our common goal – fostering security and prosperity in Eastern Europe.” Kozhara urged to continue encouraging the two sides in the 5+2 talks to engage as constructively as possible on specific, tangible issues currently on the table.

The OSCE and the EU also closely co-operate in the framework of the Geneva International Discussions, co-chairing the discussions with the UN. Kozhara said that further concerted efforts of the OSCE, EU and UN are necessary to secure smooth running of the next round of discussions in November.

The meeting participants also expressed their support for the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to find a peaceful political solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to promote dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia on its settlement.

Preparations for the December 2013 OSCE Kyiv Ministerial Council was also in the focus of the meeting’s agenda. Kozhara expressed appreciation of a positive assessment by the EU of the framework for decisions proposed by the Ukrainian Chairmanship for the Ministerial Council and called for result-oriented engagement in the run-up to the meeting.