The European Union and its Member States wish to thank the Swedish Chairpersonship for all its efforts in trying to achieve consensus on the organisation of the 2021 Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC). The ASRC is the OSCE’s main framework for enhancing security dialogue and for reviewing security work undertaken by the OSCE and its participating States as well as reviewing ongoing security challenges in the OSCE region.
We strongly regret that it was not possible to hold the ASRC as scheduled, due to the opposition of one participating State. This situation is unprecedented. It sends a negative and worrying signal about the ability of our Organisation to preserve regional security and stability in the OSCE area. We call on all participating States to work together to avoid such obstruction and to allow the Organisation to fulfil its mandate across all dimensions.
The EU and its Member States stand behind the Chairpersonship’s efforts to find a solution to this situation in order to enable holding the ASRC as soon as possible. We recall that in Porto in 2002 our ministers committed the OSCE participating States to holding the Annual Security Review Conference on an annual basis.
The Candidate Countries REPUBLIC of NORTH MACEDONIA*, MONTENEGRO*, and
ALBANIA*, the Country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and Potential
Candidate BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA, the EFTA countries ICELAND and
NORWAY, members of the European Economic Area, as well as UKRAINE, the
REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA and GEORGIA align themselves with this statement.
* The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part
of the Stabilisation and Association Process.