OSCE holds conference on maritime and inland waterways co-operation

HELSINKI, 11 September 2007 - An international OSCE conference on the role of maritime and inland waterways co-operation in enhancing security and protecting the environment ended in Helsinki today.

It brought together more than 150 participants, representing governments, international and non-governmental organizations, academia and business. They reviewed existing initiatives and activities in these areas and identified best practices as well as gaps and niches for future OSCE involvement.

"The OSCE can be instrumental in stimulating synergies between various regional co-operation mechanisms as well as between different actors including government agencies, the private sector and NGOs," said OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut.

"The issues we discussed here, ranging from maritime co-operation, security and safety aspects of maritime transport, to related environmental concerns and transboundary waterways co-operation, require our attention and a comprehensive response."

Ambassador Antti Turunen, the Permanent Representative of Finland to the OSCE, added: "The OSCE has its own political profile among international organizations. It can use its network to promote dialogue and build bridges between policy-makers and experts. The OSCE plays a key role in mobilizing political will in participating States to address security and environmental issues in relation to maritime and inland waterways, based on the existing international or regional co-operation frameworks such as the IMO and UNECE Conventions, the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) or the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution (Black Sea Commission)."

The two-day Conference was organized by the incoming 2008 Finnish OSCE Chairmanship and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.

The event was the first preparatory meeting for the 2008 OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum "Maritime and Inland Waterways Co-operation in the OSCE Area: Increasing Security and Protecting the Environment ".

The Forum will be held in two stages, on 28 and 29 January 2008 in Vienna, and from 19 to 21 May 2008 in Prague.

The second preparatory conference will take place in Ashgabat on 6 and 7 March 2008.