OSCE Chairman supports discussions on the future of security in Europe

MOSCOW, 11 November 2008 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, said today that he supports discussions on the future of security in Europe within the OSCE framework.

"In December, at the Helsinki Ministerial Council, I expect the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE 56 participating States to discuss the initiatives of Presidents Medvedev and Sarkozy," Stubb said. "The crisis in Georgia has highlighted the need to have a debate on security in Europe."

Minister Stubb came to Moscow to discuss with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the preparations for the Helsinki Ministerial Council.

The OSCE Chairman emphasized the need to agree on a brief and future-oriented political declaration, guiding the work of the Organization. He also hoped that statements could be agreed on protracted conflicts.

Sixteen decisions have been drafted ahead of the Ministerial Council, which will be held in Helsinki on 4 and 5 December. The OSCE holds annual Ministerial Councils.

In his Berlin speech, on 5 June, President Medvedev of the Russian Federation proposed an all-European security pact with Russia's participation. On 8 October, in Evian, President Sarkozy of France proposed an OSCE Summit with the heads of States and Governments of the 56 OSCE participating States. The last OSCE Summit took place in Istanbul in 1999, when participants endorsed the adapted version of the 1990 Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty.