Co-operation to avert environmental threats focus of OSCE Magazine

VIENNA, 17 October 2007 - Environmental hazards can wreak havoc on communities and potentially aggravate or spark cross-border conflict. The OSCE's concerted and co-operative action to counter these security threats is featured in the latest issue of the OSCE Magazine.

The lead article features the Environment and Security Initiative, a unique interagency partnership that pools the expertise of the OSCE, UNDP, UNEP and others to address human-induced environmental risks, with funding from donors such as Canada.

The October-November issue also marks the 15-year anniversaries of two crucial initiatives that were launched in 1992: the mission to Skopje, which is the OSCE's oldest field presence, and the Forum for Security Co-operation, which has evolved into a robust decision-making body in the political-military arena.

The Magazine introduces the new High Commissioner on National Minorities, Knut Vollebaek of Norway, and presents a farewell interview with Rolf Ekeus of Sweden, who served as the High Commissioner on National Minorities for the past six years.

Other highlights include a story describing how the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly worked closely to monitor elections in Kazakhstan this summer, and a feature on the challenges of minority education in the multi-ethnic countries of Central Asia.

Published in English and Russian, the OSCE Magazine can be accessed on: //www.osce.org/item/27195.html

Readers can subscribe to hard copies online. Previous issues can be ordered by writing to osce-magazine-at@osce.org