EU statement delivered by Deputy Head of Mission, Counsellor Jernej Cimperšek
1. The European Union warmly welcomes Estonia as incoming Chair of the Forum for Security Cooperation and Finland as a new member of the FSC Troika. We are looking forward to cooperating closely with the new Troika with a view to enhancing the FSC's effectiveness further.
2. Before moving on to address the new Chairmanship's work programme, the European Union wishes to pay tribute to the outstanding work done in the first months of the year, which included the AIAM, under the able stewardship of the previous FSC chair, Spain. The Workshop on the implications of technical managerial and financial issues on existing and planned OSCE projects on SALW and stockpiles of conventional ammunition provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the OSCE's project work. The EU appreciated the organization of the Special Meeting of FSC Working Group "A", which allowed for fruitful discussions on the role of the OSCE in combating anti-personnel mines. The EU will support the FSC Chair in the follow-up to these meetings.
Lastly, we would like to congratulate Spain and Finland for their organization of the 31st joint meeting of the Forum for Security Cooperation and the Permanent Council chaired by Spain and Finland. The addresses by the Prime Minister of Ireland, Mr. Bertie Ahern and the First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan were particularly noteworthy.
We also wish to thank the outgoing Troika member Denmark for its valuable support to the FSC's work during the past three months.
3. The EU now looks forward to the rest of the joint work programme of the FSC Chairmanships in 2008 and supports the ambitious goals of the Estonian FSC Chairmanship.
The EU notes with interest the Chair's plan to address the issue of cyber security within the FSC and at the next Joint meeting of the FSC and the PC.
Moreover, we are looking forward to the events scheduled in the framework of the Security Dialogue.
We support the intention of Estonia to prepare an FSC contribution to the United Nation's Third Biennial Meeting of States on the Programme of Action on SALW and a special meeting of Working Group "A" devoted to this topic.
4. The EU attaches importance to the FSC's efforts on SALW and to its work on conventional ammunition, including the adoption of Best Practice Guides. It also fully supports the FSC's work on the Code of Conduct and ongoing discussions on the improved implementation of existing CSBMs. The EU calls on participating States to continue their engagement on these issues in order to achieve worthwhile results during the Estonian chairmanship of the FSC.
5. Madame Chair,
The European Union looks forward to cooperating with the Estonian Chairmanship and to contributing further to enhancing the FSC's effectiveness. We wish Estonia every success in the months to come.
Madame Chair,
The following countries align themselves to the EU statement: Croatia, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Norway, Iceland, Armenia, Serbia, Montenegro, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Georgia and Turkey.
Thank you.
