Speeches

Speech by H.E. Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of the Republic of Lithuania, at the 18th Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council

Distinguished Ministers,

I am delighted to welcome all of you here in Lithuania for the closing event of the Lithuanian OSCE Chairmanship.

This is the second high-level meeting hosted by Vilnius this year.

Lithuania has demonstrated that it has the ability and the capacity to lead large international organizations as an honest broker and a strong wish to help produce results.

Several days ago official 5+2 negotiations on the Transnistrian settlement were renewed in Vilnius - which is a very important international development. In the entire course of our OSCE chairmanship, the resolution of protracted conflicts has been a key priority for Lithuania. The negotiating process has been resumed after five and a half years of inactivity. At the same time, I hope that it will encourage all of the interested parties to mobilize the much needed political will for a long-term sustainable solution.

Political will is also necessary for the settlement of conflicts in South Caucasus. We have avoided conflict escalation this year. But we did not stop militarization, aggressive rhetoric and, more painfully, the loss of human lives in South Caucasus and in other regions.

There is no place for war or even a threat of war in Europe. We face too many serious challenges, old and new, therefore we need to act immediately and together.

We have no disagreements concerning modern challenges, but sometimes we do not agree on how they may affect each of us. Nevertheless, we have to join our efforts to meet the challenges; otherwise the threats will challenge us. Even the smallest step forward can be decisive.

We underlined the importance of concrete programmes to combat illicit drug trafficking. I am delighted that we have made significant progress here. A new concept on countering drug smuggling will be confirmed at this ministerial meeting, and the Border Guard School in Medininkai will be included into the new package of OSCE projects for Afghanistan, which I hope you will approve.

I strongly believe that the growing trust in an open dialogue on energy and cyber security will soon evolve into concrete cooperation projects and initiatives.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is vital that human rights and the fundamental principles of democracy be transferred into national policies and practice. This applies to all human rights and fundamental freedoms - ranging from free elections to the safety of journalists.

Distinguished Ministers,

It is important to continue your work towards resolving protracted conflicts, dealing with new threats and challenges, and consolidating the fundamental values of the OSCE. So that when we meet in Ireland next year, we can testify to having made even greater progress.

Once again, welcome to Lithuania. I wish you every success in your work.