Events

MINSK, 16 January (BelTA) – Belarus calls for restoring the strategic unity of the OSCE countries, Belarus’ permanent representative in the OSCE Valery Voronetsky said at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting in Vienna on 14 January in response to the statement of OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The OSCE member states need to give up their bloc and sanction-based mentality, attempts to strengthen their security at the expense of others and restore the strategic unity for the sake of common goals and principles of cooperation, the Belarusian permanent representative said.

Belarus believes that cooperation in the OSCE should rest on three pillars. These are true and universal security, building of trust and consolidation of efforts against present-day challenges. “Progress in any of these areas will show a real measure of the efficiency of our organization and the ability of all its member states to rise above the raw national interests for the public good,” said Valery Voronetsky.

In his words, during the OSCE Ministerial Council in Belgrade in December 2015 many delegations emphasized the need to strengthen and enhance the efficiency of the organization. “In this respect it is essential to continue the efforts to turn the OSCE into a full-fledged international organization with its charter and power, hold other necessary reforms to adjust the OSCE to the present-day realities,” Valery Voronetsky stressed.

He added that Belarus supports the strengthening of the OSCE potential in the economic and environmental areas, depoliticization and confidence restoration in the human rights sector.