OSCE Secretary General in Turkey meets President, Foreign Minister, participates in high-level conference on Afghanistan

The OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier on a visit to Turkey on 31 October to 2 November, 2011, discussed Turkey’s engagement in the OSCE’s work and the country’s role in reaching out to the OSCE partners in Asia and the Mediterranean. He is also taking part in a high-level regional conference on Afghanistan.

In the meeting with the Turkish President Abdullah Gül, Zannier said: “The sustained engagement of key stakeholders including Turkey is essential to the success of the OSCE”. 

He also met Foreign Minister Ahmet Davotuğlu and stressed the important role the country plays in the politico-military dimension of the Organization by promoting arms control and confidence-building measures and the OSCE dialogue on energy issues, as well as its active involvement in strengthening the OSCE’s approach to transnational threats such as terrorism and organized crime.

Zannier underlined the key role Turkey plays in the OSCE’s outreach to its Mediterranean and Asian partners, including Afghanistan and the states of North Africa.

Strengthening regional stability and co-operation in promoting a secure and stable Afghanistan is the topic of a high-level conference in Istanbul initiated by the Presidents of Turkey and Afghanistan, in which Zannier is taking part on 2 November 2011.

“The theme of this conference - security and co-operation in the heart of Asia – is an area where the OSCE has much to contribute,” he said.

At the Astana Summit 2010, Heads of State and Government of all 56 OSCE participating States have underscored the need to “contribute effectively, based on the capacity and national interest of each participating State, to collective international efforts to promote a stable, independent, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan”.

In Istanbul, Zannier also delivered a lecture on the OSCE’s role in the evolving European security environment at an event organized by the Strategic Research Centre.