OSCE-EU Troika discusses Athens Ministerial, protracted conflicts

BRUSSELS, 16 November 2009 - The participants of the OSCE-EU Troika held in Brussels today noted the two bodies' excellent level of co-operation in rebuilding trust between the participating States and shaping the future of European security through the dialogue launched by the OSCE Corfu Process.

They also emphasized the importance of joint work to settle the protracted conflicts in the region.

Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas, representing the Greek OSCE Chairmanship, stressed the need to take the European security dialogue forward at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Athens on 1 and 2 December, an event which will bring together the Foreign Ministers of the 56 participating States, including all 27 EU countries.

"Greece will be as ambitious in Athens as it has been throughout the year. We will seek a substantive decision on the follow-up to the Corfu Process. Greece looks forward to the support and backing of EU partners in this endeavour," he said.

During the meeting, he also emphasized that the OSCE could serve as a single platform for the debate on the future of the European security. He added that Kazakhstan's 2010 OSCE Chairmanship will contribute to strengthening security and democracy in Central Asia and the OSCE area as a whole.

The High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union Javier Solana headed the EU delegation and chaired the meeting. The EU Presidency was represented by Swedish Deputy Foreign Minister Frank Belfrage. Representatives of the Commission and the incoming Spanish EU Presidency also participated in the meeting.

The participants also welcomed the close co-operation between the OSCE and the EU in addressing the region's protracted conflicts, including through the Geneva Discussions, which the two bodies chair with the UN.

The OSCE Troika brings together this year's Chairperson-in-Office with representatives of the previous and incoming Chairmanships. Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Konstantin Zhigalov represented the 2010 OSCE Chairmanship, while Finland, which chaired the OSCE in 2008, was represented by Ambassador Antti Turunen, Permanent Representative of Finland to the OSCE.