Serbian OSCE Chairmanship affirms support for Institutions and Field Operations

VIENNA, 16 January 2015 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić discussed with the Heads of the OSCE Field Operations and Institutions yesterday in Vienna the key issues in the OSCE region in 2015.

“Serbia, a country which has been hosting OSCE presences for a long time, attaches great importance to the OSCE field operations and affirms our commitment to support their activities”, said Dačić.

“Regional and region-to-region co-operation is one of the priorities of the Serbian Chairmanship. Good neighbourly relations cannot be regarded as a given. They need to be nourished. It is a constant process requiring additional efforts, mutual understanding and a lot of patience.

“Our first and foremost responsibility will be to work with all stakeholders in order to bring back peace and stability to Ukraine. We are all aware of the seriousness of the situation in Ukraine. The country needs sustainable support in stabilising the situation in the East, as well as in implementing far-reaching reforms and pursuing national reconciliation.”

Serbia has unequivocally supported OSCE institutions and will do so in the course of our Chairmanship even more vigorously, emphasized Dačić. “We believe that independent institutions are an asset of the OSCE in both terms – as guardian of OSCE principles and standards and as structures assisting participating States in their compliance with OSCE commitments.” Dačić stressed the importance of remaining in close contact with the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Director Michael Georg Link, High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors and Representative for Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović as well as the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva.

“My full support also goes to the work of my Special and Personal Representatives, in particular those who are dealing with the protracted conflicts. They have an invaluable role in assisting all efforts which could lead towards the resolution of these conflicts”, said Dačić.

Dačić said that increased attention will be given to the region of South Eastern Europe. “Regional co-operation in the Western Balkans for years now has not been just rhetoric but it yields practical results. Field operations in the region must continue to co-operate and co-ordinate their activities in order to reinforce positive dynamics in the region.”

Dačić and his Task Force Team plan to travel extensively in 2015 and visit most of the OSCE Missions and other field presences in the OSCE region.