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During the first Quintet meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Helsinki Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas outlined possible priority trends of Lithuania’s chairmanship over OSCE in 2011. The informal meeting was attended by foreign ministers and their representatives from five OSCE countries.

According to Minister P.Vaitiekūnas, key trends for Lithuania’s chairmanship may be the strengthening of the OSCE capabilities in regulating ‘frozen’ conflicts and the search for new instruments to cope with this task. The development of the OSCE engagement in Afghanistan as well as the strengthening of the OSCE capabilities in curbing such new manifestations of terrorism as cyber-terrorism could also be on the agenda of Lithuania’s chairmanship.

The participants of the first informal meeting of the OSCE, which is also called the Quintet meeting, on 1-2 June in Helsinki were: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Alexander Stubb, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Marat Tazhin, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs P.Vaitiekūnas, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Spain Ángel Lossada and Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece Christos Zacharakis.

The Quintet countries agreed to develop their cooperation and to consult on the most important OSCE issues on various levels: to hold regular meetings of heads of the permanent representations at the OSCE, and expert consultations, to prepare joint OSCE draft decisions for the upcoming meeting of the Council of Ministers. The participants of the meeting also approved the initiative to prepare and seek an agreement in approving the OSCE Political declaration during the meeting of the Council of Ministers this year.

In the press release of the OSCE Quintet countries, which was released after the meeting, the importance of the OSCE role in the areas of conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation are highlighted. The countries pledged to intensify efforts to settle the frozen conflicts in the OSCE area. Ministers also agreed to hold a second meeting of the Quintet Ministers on the sidelines of the Helsinki Ministerial Council, on 4 and 5 December.

The OSCE Quintet is comprised of Spain, which held the OSCE Chairmanship for 2007, Finland, holding the term this year and the following OSCE Chairmanships: Greece for 2009, Kazakhstan for 2010 and Lithuania for 2011.

During the visit in Helsinki, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs also had bilateral meetings with Finnish Foreign Minister A.Stubb and the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan M.Tazhin.

P.Vaitiekūnas and Finnish Foreign Minister A.Stubb discussed bilateral relations and important issues for the region and the European Union policy.
Speaking of the EU Baltic Sea strategy, which is being created at the moment, P.Vaitiekūnas indicated that the economic welfare of the region and its competitiveness, energy security and clean environment were the major objectives for Lithuania.

P.Vaitiekūnas and A.Stubb were satisfied that the EU achieved a unanimous position on the eve of negotiations with Russia.

‘Lithuania continues to speak for a more significant role of the dialogue on values, which should not be less important than the progress of practical cooperation in negotiations with Russia,’ said the head of Lithuanian diplomacy.

P.Vaitiekūnas asked for Finland’s support to Lithuania’s goal to become a member of the association for electricity co-operation of the Nordic countries Nordel. Lithuania’s participation in the electricity co-operation of the Nordic countries would be another step in the versatile cooperation between the Baltic and Nordic countries, this would also enhance Lithuania’s energy independence and security.

The Foreign Ministers of Lithuania and Kazakhstan approved the action plan of cooperation between Lithuania and Kazakhstan in the format of the OSCE Quintet. The plan foresees concrete means of cooperation forms between the two countries and means of preparation for the OSCE Chairmanship.