Greek Alternate Defence Minister addresses OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation

VIENNA, 20 January 2010 - The OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) will play an important role in furthering the dialogue on European security started under the Corfu Process, said Greek Alternate Minister of National Defence, Panos Beglitis, today at the first meeting of the FSC this year. 

Greece, which held the 2009 OSCE Chairmanship, is chairing the FSC until May. Beglitis said that the Corfu Process declaration and decision on furthering the dialogue on European security which were adopted by the OSCE foreign ministers in Athens in December gave a prominent role to the FSC.

"Implementing the Athens Ministerial Decisions will be both a duty and a challenge," he said. "Our aim will be to improve the quality of the security dialogue by focusing on key security issues."

The FSC meets weekly in Vienna to discuss and take decisions regarding military aspects of security in the OSCE area, in particular confidence- and security-building measures.

Based on the decisions taken in Athens, the FSC will also focus on confidence- and security-building measures, small arms and light weapons, the Code of Conduct and OSCE mechanisms in the area of crisis management, said Beglitis, emphasizing the OSCE's achievements in promoting dialogue in the field of military security.

"The OSCE has offered for over thirty years a unique forum for promoting political dialogue and mutual understanding, for bridging differences, dispelling concerns and fostering co-operation," said Beglitis.

"Security and stability in Europe owes a lot to the culture of openness, transparency and predictability among the armed forces of the participating States, which has been developed thanks to this Forum."