OSCE conference ends work without consensus on all issues

The 22nd session of the OSCE Ministerial Council ended in Belgrade late on Friday without reaching consensus on all issues.
Source: Tanjug Saturday, December 5, 2015 | 15:07

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(Tanjug)

The topics considered included the fight against terrorism, Ukrainian and migrant crisis and climate change.
Among the important topics was also the Russian-Turkish dispute after the Turkish shooting down of a Russian bomber in Syria.

OSCE Chairman and Foreign Minister of Serbia Ivica Dacic said in his closing speech that during the meeting efforts had been made to reach a consensus on many issues, but that in some matters "it was not possible."

"Nevertheless, I believe that the meeting was held in a constructive and sincere atmosphere, and that this atmosphere will contribute to solving the open issues and overcoming the differences during the next presidency," Dacic said.

Dacic added that during the Serbian chairmanship of the OSCE many problems remained unsolved, and that "perhaps more decision might have been taken" - but that "it seemed to him the spirit of member-states was positive, and the organization on the right track."

"If we adopted no decisions tonight, I would have been ready to declare that the organization no longer exists, because there is no purpose if there is no willingness to compromise. If the discussion lasted for another half hour, I would have been tempted to throw tear gas," Dacic said, recalling that he in the past served as interior minister.

According to reports late on Friday, among the proposals of statements that the OSCE conference failed to adopt is that related to freedom of assembly, expression and media.

The Beta agency quoted Dacic as saying that while "not all members agreed on the causes of the crisis in Ukraine, they supported OSCE's engagement in that crisis."

Speaking late on Friday, OSCE Secretary-General Lamberto Zannier said that Ministerial Council ended with moves forward being made despite differences and that significant progress had been made during the Serbian chairmanship.

"We have managed to make progress on certain issues and although the discussions did not produce a document we hoped for, we still made concrete steps ahead," Zannier told a press conference after the conclusion of the 22nd OSCE Ministerial Council in Belgrade late on Friday.

He said that the discussions on many topics during the plenary sessions had been very intense and with sincere engagement of those involved.

Zannier said that during the Serbian chairmanship, "we saw a team work with a strong leadership from Serbia and from the chairman-in-office personally."

Speaking during a joint news conference with Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday, Ivica Dacic specified that the OSCE conference on Friday adopted documents on the fight against terrorism and violent extremism that leads to terrorism, on youth and safety, and on "concrete discussions related to Moldavia and Pridnestrovie."