Romania pledges to be pragmatic in efforts to restore trust and confidence as it begins its Chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation

VIENNA, 18 January 2017 – Romania will be pragmatic in advancing the dialogue on politico-military issues within the OSCE, said State Secretary of the country’s Foreign Ministry George Ciamba as he opened the first session of the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) under Romania’s Chairmanship today in Vienna.

Acknowledging the declarations taken at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg last December to continue supporting OSCE projects in mitigating the risk posed by small arms and light weapons and to reverse the negative trends in conventional arms control, Ciamba said these achievements are “recognition of our joint aspirations towards dialogue and co-operation.” He thanked the outgoing Portuguese Chairmanship of the FSC for facilitating the declarations’ adoption.

Arms control and confidence- and security-building measures are primarily about trust, transparency, military predictability and stability in Europe, said Ciamba. He highlighted the need to implement, strengthen and modernize essential security instruments adopted within the OSCE framework such as the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty, the Treaty on Open Skies and the Vienna Document. Ciamba added that the conflict in and around Ukraine undermines overall stability in Europe and encouraged all sides “to adopt a constructive approach, necessary for identifying a peaceful and sustainable solution.”

The other security challenges he identified were the risks of conflict stemming from the use of Information and Communications Technologies. These issues will be raised at the FSC during Romania’s Chairmanship, he said, and they will also explore the role of military chaplains in the army. “We hope to have an interesting exchange with a panel of chaplains representing more than one denomination,” the State Secretary said.

As with preceding FSC Chairmanships, Romania will also examine options for renewing dialogue and restoring trust in its immediate region by organizing two events focusing on the work of regional co-operation formats in the Balkans and the Black Sea regions.

Ciamba concluded by promising “to take forward the legacy of Hamburg and build upon the achievements of the three preceding chairmanships of the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal; to work in close co-operation with Austria’s OSCE Chairmanship and to promote transparency and inclusiveness.”  

He also welcomed the Russian Federation - which will replace Romania as FSC Chair in four months’ time - as a new member of the Forum for Security Co-operation’s consultative body, the Troika, which consists of present, previous and succeeding FSC Chairmanships.