Sunday , 28 June 2009

MS. D. BAKOYANNI: You will allow me to proceed with the statement in English. This is actually a statement that has been distributed in Greek at the Press Center, so if you need fragments of the statement it’s actually available.

“The OSCE ministers of foreign affairs met in Corfu for the first time in an informal setting, in order to discuss the current challenges and future perspectives of the common, indivisible, comprehensive and cooperative security, which has marked the post-Cold War European security architecture.

While this is a time to celebrate the remarkable progress the OSCE states have achieved together over the past two decades, the ministers concurred that it is also time to consider that much work remains undone, and that the vision of a united continent, built on universal principles and indivisible security, remains a target rather than a reality.

It is high time to reconfirm our acquis, review the state of play of European security and renovate our mechanisms to deal with traditional and new challenges.

We just completed a fascinating, wide-ranging and frank discussion on the future of European security. We exchanged views on current security challenges in all three dimensions in the OSCE area.

We also discussed the question of how to take this dialogue of European security forward, with a view to the OSCE Ministerial Council in Athens and beyond.

Traditional security problems remain unresolved, while new threats and challenges emerge. Protracted conflicts, ethnic tensions and unresolved border disputes continue to plague parts of the OSCE area, having the potential to turn into serious crises.

Europe’s fundamental arms control regime, the CFE Treaty, a cornerstone of stability, has been in limbo for almost two years. Democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental principles and human rights need to be strengthened in parts of the OSCE region.

A deepening economic crisis might jeopardize the social coherence and political achievements in many OSCE states. Energy security, illegal migration, human trafficking, terrorism and fundamentalism, cybercrime and rising instability in regions adjacent to the OSCE area become more and more security preoccupations for OSCE states.

We concurred that these challenges should be dealt with in a comprehensive, coherent and cooperative manner, reaffirming the indivisibility of security from Vancouver to Vladivostok. In this regard we reaffirmed the validity of the whole set of commitments in all three OSCE dimensions, to which we have all subscribed in the CSCE/OSCE framework.

We agreed on the necessity to fully implement these commitments. We agreed on the need for an open, sustained, wide-ranging and inclusive dialogue on security and concurred that the OSCE is a natural forum to anchor this dialogue, because it is the only regional organization bringing together all states from Vancouver to Vladivostok on an equal basis.

It is also the organization in the framework of which the 56 states have agreed on specific principles and undertaken concrete commitments for building a Europe whole, free and in peace.

Other security institutions can also contribute in this process in a complementary way, in the framework of the OSCE relevant documents, such as the Platform for Cooperative Security.

We also recognized that restoring confidence and trust among all stakeholders remains pivotal for our ability to successfully tackle upon traditional and new challenges.

In this framework, the security concerns of all participating states should be taken into account, in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the relevant OSCE documents.

Our objective should be twofold: building a whole and lasting security in Europe for all, and ensuring the security of Europe against common threats and challenges. We commit the political will to shoulder the security challenges we are facing, guided by the spirit of comprehensive, cooperative and indivisible security. This is the quintessence of the Corfu process that we launched here today.

As a next step, and for the preparation of the Athens Ministerial Council, I have therefore decided to ask my Permanent Representative in Vienna to explore with all participating states ways for a more structured dialogue, and more specifically the priority areas that our dialogue should focus on and the modalities for its conduct.

Some topics have already been mentioned by the ministers today, which include, inter alia, the urgent need to address the peaceful and negotiated solution of regional conflicts, the revitalization of the arms control regime in Europe, and the practical implementation of the principle of indivisibility of security, through channels of open communication and strengthened cooperation.

The Helsinki Final Act and subsequent OSCE documents will remain the foundation stones for security in the OSCE area. The participating states see no alternative to the restoration of the concept of indivisible, cooperative and comprehensive security enshrined in the OSCE documents to which they have all subscribed.

As we are setting sail from Corfu, we know that the journey will be challenging. We must be patient, as we embark on one of the most important tasks facing our region. As you know, Greece has a fair amount of experience navigating through difficult waters, and we will remain faithful and committed in this journey throughout our chairmanship and beyond.

We hope that the informal setting in Corfu will serve as a useful model for future informal ministerial meetings, to be convened upon the initiative of future chairmanships, in order to review and take stock of the political priorities that need to be addressed in a concentrated manner.

On behalf of the Greek chairmanship, I would like to thank you all and all those who contributed to the success of this meeting. Thank you very much.

JOURNALIST: Madam Minister, given the proposal on a new security architecture, a proposal made by Russia, and on the other hand the United States and other countries claim that the existing structures should do. Following the meeting you had with Mr. Lavrov, what is the conclusion? Does Mr. Lavrov insist on the Russian position? And what is Greece’s position?

MS. D. BAKOYANNIS: As you know, Russia came up with a proposal, a proposal they submitted before us, and this is a proposal that we have been discussing. It is a proposal on concrete measures, security measures that is, and we also had more discussions and Russia actually agreed that within the confines of the OSCE we also need to take into account these three dimensions of security, which I mentioned before.

So the OSCE is going to take up this discussion to make sure it includes all three dimensions in the OSCE area.

JOURNALIST: But Russia proposed that, to get to a new architecture of security in Europe, the abolishment of NATO would be a good step. Was something like this discussed? What are your outlines for the future of new European security?

MS. D. BAKOYANNIS: No, this was not discussed, and I don't remember anybody proposing any change in the existing organizations which we already have. Most of our partners are very happy with the security organizations we have now, so there was no question about that. But all, I think, of our partners around the table agreed that we needed a more intensive dialogue on European security issues, as I stated in my statement. And this is what we are going to work for, preparing the Athens meeting.

JOURNALIST: Madam Minister, given that, from the information that we received from your counterparts, and they have proceeded with statements of their own before us, now, given what we were told, the Russian proposal was not really tackled. And it was a proposal about a pan-European agreement on security. So why should you expect the Russians to come back in another OSCE meeting?

MS. D. BAKOYANNIS: Well, the Russian counterparts have actually stated that they are going to come back to such a meeting, and the Russians have also said that they are fully in agreement, when it comes to having an in-depth discussion on all three dimensions in the OSCE area.

Mr. Lavrov’s statement was very clear. He said that twice. He actually was quite clear about where he stands. And I think he went public. He actually publicly declared that what I have just told you is what he subscribes to.

This is actually what we have all inferred, and this is the foundation on which we are going to work in Vienna, in preparation for the Athens Ministerial Meeting.

JOURNALIST: Ms. Bakoyanni, you haven’t met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia, Mr. Milososki. Why is that, and when are you planning to visit our country? For us this was a step in showing our will to find a solution in the negotiations about the name dispute. And another thing. Do you, as the holder of the presidency of OSCE, feel a stronger responsibility now for the minorities?

 MS. D. BAKOYANNIS: Well, let me answer your first question. I would like to see on a bilateral level the Foreign Minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Milososki. Unfortunately, you can see how the time schedule was extremely tight. We were not able to make it.

I announced already during my visit in Kosovo that I will visit Skopje, as soon as my program permits it, as the Chair of the OSCE, so I have the opportunity to see there also our mission in Skopje, but also to discuss with your country’s leadership about open questions which exist and about the way the different regulations are implemented.

Did I forget anything? Well, as you know, the OSCE has a responsibility and we are looking into all minority questions which come up, and this is one of the discussions we always have when we visit the different countries.

JOURNALIST: Minister, having a meeting of 56 countries, as you say going from Vancouver to Vladivostok, did you discuss the development of the situation in Iran? Was there any common view on what is to be done?

And looking forward to the meeting this afternoon of the EU foreign ministers, is this the time for sanctions on Iran or for any specific, concrete EU measure?

MS. D. BAKOYANNIS: To your first question the answer is no. There was no discussion about Iran with the 56 foreign ministers of the OSCE.

To your second question, as you know, we will have a meeting of the European foreign ministers. We will have it in half an hour from now, and we will discuss the evolutions and the recent events in Iran. So I don't want to make any kind of statement before this meeting starts.

JOURNALIST: Madam Minister, within your exercising your CIO duties, or maybe in your bilateral meetings, did you tackle illegal migration issues? Have you actually communicated any messages on that?

Ms. D. BAKOYANNIS: We had many discussions with many of our counterparts on this particular issue. This is actually one of the issues that we agreed upon: We need to concern ourselves within the confines of the OSCE. But we have also actually said that amongst the countries that are mostly concerned by this issue Greece is also gravely afflicted.

We have agreed that what we need to proceed with is certainly a more increased cooperation between the countries. It is also important for us to make sure that we have repatriation or formal agreements signed with all those countries that have not signed such agreements so far. And of course it is very important to implement what has been agreed on. And this is very important for any given country that has signed any such agreement.

JOURNALIST: Madam Minister, a lot has been said about the Russian proposals. What about the Americans? Did they come to the table with specific proposals themselves, or did they just follow their standard practice of lending an ear to what others would say and then come up with proposals?

Ms. D. BAKOYANNIS: Well, ladies and gentlemen, all countries that actually sit around a table have also their own ideas.

So the Greek chairmanship, following this informal ministerial meeting, proceeded with presenting you with the outline of an effort that was as clear as possible, an effort with a view of synthesizing such views.

This is actually the essence or the quintessence of Corfu. To me, Corfu, the meeting, was a very important moment, for you see for yourself ministers have actually attended the event and they have shown their will to have discussions for a day and a half, discussions on an issue which concerns us all, that is European security. This very fact comes to show that a breath of fresh air is felt, and it’s very important for us to make sure that this dialogue proceeds.

This is our objective. None of us has any illusions or disillusions whatsoever. I mean we do not believe that we have solved problems, no. But we have nonetheless agreed that when there is a dialogue we have agreed that when we are in touch, when there are frequent contacts, then this will be the only way for us to progress.

This is the gist of Corfu. I believe that the overall assessment or the evaluation of the whole process is positive. We have another six months, in view of the next meeting in Athens. We have to work hard in the forthcoming months, in Vienna, so as for us, after so many years, to actually have conclusions that will be agreed upon by everyone that’s in Athens in December.