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Lithuania stands for comprehensive approach to security and is interested to foster the role of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) by strengthening its operational and management capabilities. Lithuanian acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Antanas Valionis stated so at 12th OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Sofia on 7 December. The Minister said to be convinced that this organization’s role in human dimension strengthens the security in the OSCE area, and thus it must not be in any way diminished. According to A. Valionis, recent events in Ukraine prove once again that only full adherence to the values and norms, in defence of which OSCE stands, especially those relating to election practices, are important to political stability, social and economic prosperity. Speaking about neighbour Byelorussia the Minister paid attention to recent parliamentary elections, which felt significantly short of the OSCE standards. “International community needs to make additional efforts assisting civic society, non-governmental organizations and independent media in Belarus,” A. Valionis said. The Minister also urged the international community to resolve so called “frozen conflicts” that have become a major obstacle in the Georgia’s and Moldova’s social and economic development. A. Valionis enounced that Lithuania reaffirms strong commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and Moldova and commends their efforts in democratic reforms and peaceful settlement of the conflicts. “The international community needs to continue searching for a comprehensive political settlement of the decade-long crisis in Moldova. We also regret that no progress was achieved in 2004 on the withdrawal of Russian military forces from the Republic of Moldova,” the Minister stated. A. Valionis also expressed Lithuania’s solidarity with the States, which suffered from terrorist aggression and welcomed practical OSCE decisions in this area and organization’s efforts in promoting tolerance and non-discrimination.