OSCE’s dedication to security dialogue in Mediterranean remains strong – says Secretary General Zannier

VIENNA, 28 October 2014 – “Challenges facing us are too big for any single country or region to tackle them alone. Co-operation and common action are an absolute necessity”, said OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier at the 20th Annual OSCE Mediterranean Conference, taking place on 27/28 October in Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The conference on “Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons and Fight against Terrorism in the Mediterranean Region” gathered representatives of the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia), OSCE participating States, international organizations and NGOs.

“OSCE’s dedication to security dialogue in the Mediterranean remains strong”, said Zannier. “Complex and often interrelated challenges confronts our regions, including the Syrian refugee crisis; terrorism and the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters; trafficking in arms, drugs, and people across our regions; as well as alarming levels of migration throughout the Mediterranean, with direct impact on a number of participating States.”

Participants discussed challenges associated with arms trafficking; illicit trading routes in the OSCE region and other affected areas and identified possible measures and tools to fight these threats.

Secretary General Zannier also highlighted that the tragedies and challenges of the Ukrainian crisis that have tested but also proved the relevance of the OSCE's role in European security, while not detracting from the Organization's efforts to promote a broader dialogue on Euro-Mediterranean stability. "Our response to the events in and around Ukraine has highlighted the important role the OSCE plays in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security”.

The speakers at the opening were: Deputy Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ana Trišić Babić, Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council Ambassador Thomas Greminger of Switzerland, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, Chairperson of the Mediterranean Group of Contact Ambassador Vuk Žugić and Dijana Vukomanović Head of Serbian delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

More information on the Conference can be found at //www.osce.org/networks/121728.