Serbia takes helm of OSCE "at difficult moment"

Serbia takes helm of OSCE "at difficult moment"

He stressed that the international community should remain vigilant against existing and emerging terrorist threats and that Ukraine remains a central issue that will be addressed by the OSCE this year.

Serbia's chairmanship comes at a very difficult time, Dacic said, presenting the presidency's priorities at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council.

According to the Serbian official, when the country submitted its candidacy, it believed that a Western Balkan country in that tole would "provide added value to the work of our organization, particularly in terms of the lessons learned from our experience in the wider OSCE region."

He said that the OSCE has played an important role in the post-conflict transition, especially in supporting a wide range of reforms in the entire Western Balkans.

Although every region in the OSCE area has its own traits, the need for dialogue and reconciliation is increasingly pronounced in the current challenging geopolitical circumstances, Dacic said.

"Our own experience shows that, despite many obstacles, a positive agenda can be made by recomposing the current context in a pragmatic and goal-oriented manner," said he, and continued:

"I believe that our presidency can provide additional impetus to this positive agenda of strengthening regional cooperation and improving the reconciliation process."

Addressing last week's terrorist attacks in France, Dacic said that "this horrible act of violence highlighted the growing threat to our societies and to the need to protect freedom of expression and journalists from all major challenges to which they are exposed."

"We must be unequivocal in our condemnation of all forms of terrorism, while ensuring that our societies remain united against attempts to create divisions based on religion," he said.

All our governments are required to take the necessary measures not only in the fight against terrorism and providing security to the citizens, but also in fostering tolerance and non-discrimination in our societies, said Dacic.

"The terrible attack two days ago in eastern Ukraine, where several people were killed and wounded, is another proof of this assertion," the Serbian minister added.

He called on all parties in Ukraine to immediately cease the use of force and show restraint, and underlined the need to fully respect the ceasefire.

"Obviously, the situation in and around Ukraine remains a serious threat to the stability of the region, as well as to European and global security. The leading priority in our work will be to continue to deal with this crisis in a way that will give impetus to the peace process," he stressed.

Dacic also said that Serbia, as part of the Troika (Serbia, Switzerland and Germany) inteds to work with major stakeholders to find a peaceful solution to the crisis through dialogue.

Without sincere dialogue among the key stakeholders, as well as among participating countries, "it will be extremely difficult to come to a solution of the crisis," accordin to Dacic.

Therefore, he added, it is essential to invest maximum efforts in order to achieve a sustainable ceasefire and a complete cessation of hostilities.

Implementation of the Minsk documents by all sides is essential for achieving progress, Dacic is convinced.

He added that he strongly supports the efforts of the head of the observer mission of the OSCE, "which proved to be valuable and unique," with the expectation that the Trilateral Contact Group will "significantly contribute to the strengthening of the agreement signed in Minsk and the advancement of the peace process."

Dacic said that another priority of Serbia's chairmanship will be resolutions of frozen conflicts through the agreed formats.

He believes there is room to try to overcome the "status quo" in terms of frozen conflicts in the OSCE area, and that "effort should be uncreased to this end."

According to Dacic, high-level contacts as well as regular and uninterrupted and regular meetings of the format should coninue.

"Bearing in mind the existing circumstances, I think that some small but concrete steps could improve trust between the parties, which would pave the way to tackle the core issues," the Serbian minister and OSCE chairperson-in-office concluded.