FM attends session of OSCE Permanent Council

Serbia's Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic is today attending the OSCE Permanent Council in meeting in Vienna, Austria. Jeremic told the gathering that it was was extremely important to keep regional cooperation separate from political affairs and diplomatic disputes and he supported consensus as the fundamental principle of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other regional organizations. FM attends session of OSCE Permanent Council Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council, Jeremic pointed out that the opposites of consensus, like unilateralism and frozen conflicts, pose a serious threat to the region. Partial and temporary solutions to problems are in no one's interest, the minister stated, adding that what was needed was commitment to solving them through a dialogue that would lead to consensus. "This should apply in the present dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina," he remarked. Serbia sees "the dialogue as a prelude to the achievement of a fair and balanced solution that everyone will be able to endorse. This would bring to an end one of the most noticeable sources of contention between the participating states," he noted. Jeremic stressed that improving relations between neighboring countries was the key to the region's future. Those relations have seldom been better in this part of the world, he added. "A new level of trust and understanding has been established, and key bilateral relationships have visibly improved. This has taken place in the midst of a renewed impetus to complete the process of full reconciliation in the Balkans," Jeremic stated. "On the basis of the 'all-inclusiveness principle,' therefore, the Republic of Serbia will continue to encourage the participation of all relevant actors in appropriate regional fora. As we do so, we will remain committed to upholding the strict adherence to binding international legal documents, to the founding acts, statutes and internal regulations of various initiatives, and to the accepted practices of ad hoc regional meetings," said the minister. Serbia will be chairing the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, Central European Initiative, Southeast European Cooperation Process and Migration Asylum and Refugees Regional Initiative in 2011, and it will assume chairmanship of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization in 2012, Jeremic stated. "Belgrade, in short, has become the symbolic capital of cooperation in our part of Europe," he underlined, adding that Serbia will also host the 20th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in a few days. Serbia sees the OSCE as a strategic partner in the consolidation of regional peace, democracy and security, he remarked. "We will continue to work towards the full realization of consensus-based, indivisible, cooperative and comprehensive security, framed by the agreed principles, shared commitments, and common goals," Jeremic emphasized, adding that the fight against organized crime and greater unity of purpose and action in facing transnational threats were among those. "Serbia shall spare no effort to eliminate this threat to our security-its root causes, as well as its effects. Our zero-tolerance policy will continue unabated," he underscored, adding that ultimate success "cannot be achieved without a much stronger multilateral commitment, for organized crime is like a virus: it spreads to where it finds least resistance." During its chairmanship, Serbia will promote a series of priorities important for the OSCE, said Jeremic, explaining that the complicated issues concerning refugees and internally displaced persons would be given special attention. "We intend to strengthen the working mechanism my colleagues from Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro and I established in Belgrade last spring, with the active participation of this Organization," Jeremic stated. He also commented on the situation with the Roma, saying that Serbia had worked hard on their inclusion and empowerment. "We believe our initiative can serve as a model to be applied well beyond Southeast Europe," he pointed out. Serbia will also work to enahnce the coordination and cooperation between the organizations it is going to chair in this and the next year, he added.

FM attends session of OSCE Permanent Council

Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council, Jeremić pointed out that the opposites of consensus, like unilateralism and frozen conflicts, pose a serious threat to the region.

Partial and temporary solutions to problems are in no one's interest, the minister stated, adding that what was needed was commitment to solving them through a dialogue that would lead to consensus.

"This should apply in the present dialogue between Belgrade and Priština," he remarked.

Serbia sees "the dialogue as a prelude to the achievement of a fair and balanced solution that everyone will be able to endorse. This would bring to an end one of the most noticeable sources of contention between the participating states," he noted.

Jeremić stressed that improving relations between neighboring countries was the key to the region's future. Those relations have seldom been better in this part of the world, he added.

"A new level of trust and understanding has been established, and key bilateral relationships have visibly improved. This has taken place in the midst of a renewed impetus to complete the process of full reconciliation in the Balkans," Jeremić stated.

"On the basis of the 'all-inclusiveness principle,' therefore, the Republic of Serbia will continue to encourage the participation of all relevant actors in appropriate regional fora. As we do so, we will remain committed to upholding the strict adherence to binding international legal documents, to the founding acts, statutes and internal regulations of various initiatives, and to the accepted practices of ad hoc regional meetings," said the minister.

Serbia will be chairing the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, Central European Initiative, Southeast European Cooperation Process and Migration Asylum and Refugees Regional Initiative in 2011, and it will assume chairmanship of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization in 2012, Jeremić stated.

"Belgrade, in short, has become the symbolic capital of cooperation in our part of Europe," he underlined, adding that Serbia will also host the 20th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in a few days.

Serbia sees the OSCE as a strategic partner in the consolidation of regional peace, democracy and security, he remarked.

"We will continue to work towards the full realization of consensus-based, indivisible, cooperative and comprehensive security, framed by the agreed principles, shared commitments, and common goals," Jeremić emphasized, adding that the fight against organized crime and greater unity of purpose and action in facing transnational threats were among those.

"Serbia shall spare no effort to eliminate this threat to our security-its root causes, as well as its effects. Our zero-tolerance policy will continue unabated," he underscored, adding that ultimate success "cannot be achieved without a much stronger multilateral commitment, for organized crime is like a virus: it spreads to where it finds least resistance."

During its chairmanship, Serbia will promote a series of priorities important for the OSCE, said Jeremić, explaining that the complicated issues concerning refugees and internally displaced persons would be given special attention.

"We intend to strengthen the working mechanism my colleagues from Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro and I established in Belgrade last spring, with the active participation of this Organization," Jeremić stated.

He also commented on the situation with the Roma, saying that Serbia had worked hard on their inclusion and empowerment.

"We believe our initiative can serve as a model to be applied well beyond Southeast Europe," he pointed out.

Serbia will also work to enahnce the coordination and cooperation between the organizations it is going to chair in this and the next year, he added.