Foreign Minister Tuomioja highlighted OSCE's role in South Eastern Europe

Press release 507/2006
4 December, 2006

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja addressed the ministerial meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, in Brussels on Monday, 4 December.

In his statement, Tuomioja said South Eastern Europe is facing major changes. The European Union hopes the OSCE will continue to play an important role in support of a peaceful, democratic and multiethnic Kosovo. He saw an important role for the OSCE in contributing to the peaceful settlement of conflicts and in participating in post-conflict rehabilitation together with other international actors. The EU values and supports the work of the OSCE in resolving the conflicts in South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabah.

The promotion of democracy, human rights, rule of law, and good governance is at the heart of the work of the organisation, said Tuomioja. Efforts to fully implement all human dimension commitments must continue. The European Union highly appreciates the valuable work ot the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, ODIHR, on human dimension issues, election monitoring in particular. The EU supports the role of the OSCE in combating the sexual exploitation of children which is closely connected with the OSCE's action against human trafficking.

Several decisions are expected to be made at the ministerial meeting on improving the organisation's performance in the fields of human dimension, arms control, and economy and the environment.

Finland will chair the OSCE in 2008 and will join the troika in January 2007 with Spain chairing the organisation.

Further information: Director Anu Laamanen, Unit for Civilian Crisis Management, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 40 768 0311; Ambassador Aleksi Härkönen, tel. +43 664 542 1573, and Counsellor Vesa Vasara, tel. +43 664 151 6885, Permanent Mission of Finland to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna

EU Statement by Foreign Minister Tuomioja at the 14th Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council

Closing statement by the Presidency on behalf of the EU(Link to another website.)