News

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Regional High Level Expert workshop on comprehensive co-operation in synthetic drug supply reduction in the Baltic region was held on 20-21 October in Vilnius.

At the workshop, high-level experts from Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Russia, Sweden and representatives from the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), the European Police Office (EUROPOL), the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) discussed the issues that are important for the Baltic region, such as cooperation in fighting against the spread of the synthetic drugs trade and the necessary general measures.

Director of the OSCE Chairmanship Department of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rytis Paulauskas highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in dealing with international threats, such as terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking and drug trade.

“Successful regional cooperation contributes to security throughout the entire OSCE area,” Ambassador R.Paulauskas said.

He also expressed trust that regional cooperation in fight against drug trafficking would continue also during the Lithuanian chairmanship of the OSCE.

Lithuania will hold the OSCE chairmanship in 2011. The Lithuanian chairmanship intends to focus on the implementation of the decisions that will be made during the 2010 OSCE Summit in Astana on 1-2 December. The Lithuanian chairmanship also intends to promote the fulfillment of the commitments in the political and military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions that are set out in the OSCE documents, as well as to continue looking for solutions to protracted conflicts and to promote regional cooperation.