OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Steinmeier and Secretary General Zannier express firm condemnation of attacks in Istanbul and bombing in Cairo

BERLIN/VIENNA, 11 December 2016 - Chairperson-in-Office Frank-Walter Steinmeier together with Secretry General Lamberto Zannier condemned in the strongest terms the acts of terrorism that hit Istanbul on 10 December 2016 and Cairo on 11 December 2016. They extended their condolences to the families and friends of the numerous victims and wished a speedy recovery to those that got injured. Steinmeier and Zannier expressed their solidarity with Turkey, an OSCE participating State and Egypt, an OSCE Partner for Co-operation.

Steinmeier said: “We will soon learn more about the background of these deeds that heinously aimed to inflict harm on many innocent people. But already now we can firmly say: Such acts cannot be justified.”

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier said: “We need a common front against terrorism. We must increase our efforts in fighting for a world free of terror.” 

During the latest OSCE Ministerial Council that took place in Hamburg, Germany from 8 to 9 December 2016, the foreign ministers of all 57 OSCE participating States agreed on a declaration on strengthening OSCE efforts to prevent and counter terrorism. All participating States jointly emphasize: “We reaffirm that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and that any act of terrorism is criminal and unjustifiable regardless of its motivations, and that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any race, religion, nationality or civilization.”