Security co-operation between regions crucial to enhance confidence building, says Thai Foreign Minister

VIENNA, 24 June 2010 - Deepening co-operation between regions and regional organizations to enhance confidence-building measures is needed to achieve comprehensive security, said Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to the OSCE participating States in Vienna today.

Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council, Piromya called for deepening links between regional bodies, including with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

"Thailand, as an OSCE Asian Partner for Co-operation, highly values the co-operation within the OSCE," he said. "Thailand is truly unique in that we are a member of ASEAN, the ARF, CICA, and OSCE Partner for Co-operation, and we are eager to play a role in creating linkages between all regional organizations to enhance confidence-building measures between them."

Piromya referred to continuing co-operation with the OSCE on combating illicit crop cultivation.

"A touch of creativity can go a long way, as can be seen with Thailand's co-operation with Afghanistan and the OSCE on the issue of drug trafficking. In Afghanistan and Aceh, Thailand is known for successfully bringing sustainable alternative livelihood development by eliminating narcotics crop cultivation and poverty alleviation through sustainable means and livelihood," he said.

"The OSCE Workshop on Combating Illicit Crop Cultivation and Enhancing Border Security and Management hosted by Thailand last January has well reflected how Thailand can play a role and share our best practices in using the sustainable alternative development model to address security challenges."

Piromya also discussed the need for further confidence-building measures in Europe and the rest of the world to address the challenges of the new security environment. He emphasized the importance of military transparency, economic co-operation and promoting a liberal economy, and advancing democracy. He stressed the Thai government's commitment to "good governance, and reconciling those with opposite views - even during the darkest hours."

The Permanent Council is a main decision-making body of the 56-country OSCE. It meets weekly in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and to make appropriate decisions.