OSCE Chairperson pledges Lithuania’s support for Ireland’s 2012 Chairmanship

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, congratulated his successor as OSCE Chairperson, Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore today on Ireland taking over the OSCE Chairmanship from 1 January 2012.

Ažubalis pledged Lithuania’s support for the Irish Chairmanship, including through the country’s participation in the OSCE Troika of past, present and future Chairmanships.

“The Chairmanship of the OSCE is an honour and a great responsibility, and I wish my colleague Minister Gilmore every success,” Ažubalis said. “I particularly welcome Ireland’s stated goal of advancing work on 2011 priorities including the safety of journalists, promoting media freedom in the digital age and resolving protracted conflicts.”

He emphasized the importance of building on the momentum achieved in 2011, notably in resuming official 5+2 talks in the Transdniestrian settlement, strengthening the OSCE’s capabilities to address the conflict cycle and combat transnational threats, in particular with regard to cyber security, and enhancing OSCE engagement with Partners for Co-operation, including Afghanistan and countries in North Africa.

“Ireland’s leadership this year in chairing the group of Mediterranean Partners will stand it in good stead to deepen our co-operation with our Partners in 2012,” Ažubalis added. “Furthermore, it is my personal hope that we will be able to welcome our Asian Partner Mongolia as the 57th OSCE participating State next year.”
Ažubalis also underscored the importance of continuing efforts to re-establish a meaningful OSCE presence in Georgia, and addressing the situation in Belarus, where the OSCE Office was closed after its mandate was not renewed by the host country at the end of 2010.

Deputy Prime Minister Gilmore thanked Minister Azubalis for his promise of continued support and congratulated him on the significant achievements of the Lithuanian Chairmanship. He recalled that the two countries would be cooperating closely not only in the OSCE Troika in 2012 but also as Presidencies of the European Union in 2013.