Annual OSCE Economic Forum to focus on environment

VIENNA, 19 May 1999 - The Seventh Economic Forum of the OSCE will take place in Prague from 25 to 28 May. The Forum will consist of two separate but linked events: a meeting on 25 May to review the implementation of commitments related to the economic dimension of security, as undertaken by OSCE participating States, and a second meeting which will take place from 26 to 28 May and address the theme of "Security Aspects in the Field of the Environment."

The Forum was established as an annual meeting at the Helsinki Summit of 1992 in order to address issues relating to economic aspects of security and to promote cooperation in economics, science, technology and the environment. The OSCE believes that cooperation among States in these fields greatly contributes to building and maintaining comprehensive security and stability in Europe.

The purpose of Economic Dimension Implementation Review Conference is to examine how OSCE States are implementing commitments in the areas of economics, environment, science and technology as contained in various OSCE documents, notably the Helsinki Final Act, the Charter of Paris, and the 1990 "Bonn Document" on Economic Cooperation in Europe.

The agenda of the meeting on environment covers topics that are relevant to long term stability and security, such as the energy and environment (thus providing a link to the subject of last year's Forum), the security issues involved in the use and management of scarce water resources in Central Asia and elsewhere in the OSCE area, and public participation in matters relating to environmental decision-making (this last topic will touch in particular on the Aarhus Convention which was signed in Aarhus, Denmark, last June). OSCE States will be represented by high-level delegations, many at Minister or Deputy Minister level. Speakers include representatives of OSCE States, as well as representatives of other international organizations, NGOs and the private sector.

Press Arrangements:

Venue/Accreditation: Czernin Palace, Loretánské nám. 5, 11800 Prague 1 Please present press identification card.

Access: The opening and closing sessions of the Meeting on 26 to 28Many are open to the press. The first plenary meeting is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m.

Press background: An informal press briefing will be held at 9:30 am on 26 May and again at the conclusion of the closing session on 28 May.