The OSCE participating States must not accept deadlock in the so-called frozen conflicts - unresolved conflicts in countries that were once part of the Soviet Union, New Head of the European Union, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on January 18 while making a speech before the Permanent Council of the OSCE.
"We urge the parties to accept OSCE mediation and to regard it as an opportunity. Where there is a readiness to engage in constructive dialogue, the EU will lend whatever support it can," he told. The Minister stressed that The Spanish Chairmanship was in a position to provide the OSCE with a higher political profile and the EU was ready to work with others on this. He underlined that the OSCE needed a frank and intensive dialogue based on the Organization's common values, norms and standards.
In addition, he stressed that the OSCE has played an important role in European integration and its confidence-building measures serve as a model for other regions of the world, but its participating States should work even harder to achieve security and stability through dialogue.
The Minister said that OSCE and the European Union can work together, for example in Central Asia and Kosovo.