News

The 11th meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Council concluded in Maastricht on December 2. The meeting approved a new OSCE Strategy to Address Threats to Stability and Security in the 21st century. However, the ministers of OSCE countries failed to reach a common political declaration and a statement on the situation in Moldova and Georgia. The ministers could not agree on one of the most important political issues – the implementation of the obligations undertaken at the OSCE Istanbul Summit of 1999 concerning the withdrawal of troops and removal of armaments from Moldova and Georgia, also liquidation of military bases in Georgia. At the OSCE meeting in Maastricht most of the member states held that Russia must carry out its obligations without further delay. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis expressed his support for the final statement by the Dutch Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman in Office Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. According to Minister Valionis, the lack of consensus on the ministerial declaration was better than “any weak common decision, contravening Moldovan and Georgian national interests and the prospects of democratic development of theses states”. In Maastricht, Minister Valionis met with the acting Georgian President Nino Burjanadze and reassured her that Lithuania was ready to contribute to the efforts of OSCE donors for ensuring organisation and monitoring of the forthcoming elections in Georgia. At the meeting with the Moldovan Foreign Minister Nikolae Dudau on 1 December, the Chief of Lithuanian Diplomacy underscored Lithuania’s sturdy support for legal settlement of the Trans-Dniester conflict without prejudice to the Moldovan sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Ministers exchanged opinions on the Moldova’s intentions to take active part in the EU New Neighbours initiative. During the same day Minister Valionis held bilateral meetings with OSCE Secretary General Jan Kubis and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Walter Schwimmer. During the meetings, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister stressed the importance of closer cooperation among different international organisation for promoting processes of democratisation in the countries which would become the EU’s Eastern neighbours after the enlargement. Secretaries General Jan Kubis and Walter Schwimmer positively evaluated Lithuania’s activities in transferring its experience of democratic and economic reforms to the countries of Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus.