VIENNA, May 2 (Hina) - The new chairman of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Antonio Martins da Cruz, announced on Thursday the mission to Croatia would be decreased. Speaking for the first time in his
new duty before the OSCE Permanent Council, da Cruz said the battle against terrorism would continue to be the main task in the work of the OSCE.
VIENNA, May 2 (Hina) - The new chairman of the Organisation for
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Antonio Martins da
Cruz, announced on Thursday the mission to Croatia would be
decreased. Speaking for the first time in his new duty before the
OSCE Permanent Council, da Cruz said the battle against terrorism
would continue to be the main task in the work of the OSCE. #L#
The Portuguese foreign minister, who conducted a short briefing for
the press, said the OSCE would continue to carry out its traditional
activities in preventing and resolving conflicts, preserving peace
and supporting the development of democratic processes in
countries where it was necessary, protecting human rights and
motivating economic development.
He stressed the OSCE had an especially important role in countries
in Southeast Europe as regarded post-conflict reconstruction, the
development of stability and security, the building of democratic
institutions and society so that these countries could better
prepare themselves for accession to the EU.
He said the results of the OSCE Mission to Croatia were successful.
This is a successful story for our organisation, which intends to
decrease the number of the Mission to Croatia because it has become
apparent that other regions require the presence of the OSCE more
than Croatia, da Cruz said.
Priorities during Portugal's chairing until the end of the year are
reforms in the OSCE and the deployment of a mission to the Caucasus
and central Asia, da Cruz said in Vienna.
(hina) sp sb