Security, extremism, and building trust: Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter attends 2015 OSCE Ministerial Council in Belgrade
Bern, 01.12.2015 - Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, will represent Switzerland at this year's Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Council in Belgrade on Thursday 3 December 2015. The agenda for the meeting of the foreign ministers of OSCE participating states includes security in Europe and current challenges such as the refugee crisis and the threat from terrorism. The Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE. It is hosted by the country holding the Chairmanship of the OSCE, which this year is Serbia.
One year after the OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel under the Swiss Chairmanship, the foreign ministers of OSCE participating states will meet from 3 to 4 December 2015 in Belgrade. The agenda for this year's meeting includes security in Europe, the Ukraine conflict and current challenges such as the refugee crisis and the threat from terrorism. Mr Burkhalter will give a speech during the plenary debate and will also attend a varied programme of further events. This will also be the last time that he will participate in a meeting of the OSCE Troika, to which he belongs in his capacity as OSCE Chairperson for 2014, alongside Chairperson-in-Office Ivica Dacic, and German Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Chairperson for 2016. The Troika supports the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in their work.
As part of the Belgrade meeting, the Panel of Eminent Persons on European Security as a Common Project will present its final report containing proposals to overcome the current crisis in European security. The 15-strong expert panel was established by Switzerland, in close cooperation with Serbia and Germany, at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel in December 2014. Its role has been to encourage a broad discussion of the fundamental issues, and ways of strengthening cooperative security in Europe.
Mr Burkhalter will otherwise use his time at the OSCE Ministerial Council to foster bilateral contacts and dialogue.
Address for enquiries
FDFA Communication
Federal Palace West Wing
CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
Twitter: @SwissMFA
Publisher
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html
