OSCE MINISTERIAL MEETING KICKING OFF IN VILNIUS (BNS, 6 December 2011)
VILNIUS, Dec 06, BNS – A two-day session of the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is starting in Lithuania on Tuesday. The event will be attended by more than 40 ministers including United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and diplomacy chiefs of Russia and Germany.
In addition to participation in official events, Clinton's agenda also includes a meeting with Belarusian opposition activists. Lithuania's Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis says Clinton's visit would support and encourage all democratic forces in the region.OSCE said in its press release that discussions of the Ministerial Council would focus on protracted conflicts, transnational threats, media freedom and enhanced engagement with the OSCE’s Partner countries, including in the Southern Mediterranean and Afghanistan.
The Vilnius meeting should also discuss ways of fighting new threats – cyber and energy security, human, arms and drugs trade. The so-called Arab Spring – democratic uprisings and protests in countries across North Africa – should also be high on the agenda.
The meeting is held in Vilnius in the framework of Lithuania's 2011 OSCE presidency, which will be taken over by Ireland in 2012.
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