News

On 27-28 June at the informal foreign ministers’ meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the Greek island of Corfu, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas discussed the future of the European security and the implementation of international commitments and obligations.

“The OSCE is the most suitable venue for discussions on the future of European security. The current institutional architecture of the European security includes the European Union, NATO, the OSCE, and the Council of Europe. The existing structures proved their value over the decades and there is no need to change them. They ensured regional security and capacitated for the implementation of people’s purpose and the will of representatives of governments to expand the EU and NATO,” said the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy.

Minister V.Ušackas emphasized that in the discussions on the suggestions to review the institutional architecture of the European security that were made by Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev in 2008, we first of all needed to ensure that all OSCE states provided substantial deliverables regarding commitments on such issues as respect for human rights, territorial integrity of other states and the right of all participating states to choose their own security paths, including military alliances. Lithuania speaks up for a universal security conception, which would encompass both military and economic security, as well as human rights.

“It is important to maintain transatlantic relations with the U.S.A., to aim at the implementation of human rights and freedoms, and respect of all the undertakings of the countries, especially in solving frozen conflicts in Moldova and Georgia,” said V.Ušackas.

In 2011, Lithuania will chair the 56-country Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). In 2010, during Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the organization, Lithuania will contribute to the OSCE Troika.