Minister Gordan Jandroković participated in informal meeting of OSCE foreign ministers in Corfu, Greece

"Photo: OSCE"

The goal of the meeting, which saw the participation of foreign ministers of nearly all the participating countries, was to comprehensively and critically discuss the security situation in Europe, as well as the role of OSCE and its mechanisms in that process.

The first session was about determining the achievements so far and the further courses of action within the European security policy. The ministers also discussed mechanisms of strengthening the cooperation among OSCE participants and new initiatives for the strengthening of Europe’s security architecture.

Minister Jandroković held a presentation, saying that the topic of European security is of the utmost strategic importance, especially given the new global challenges of the 21st century, such as the global economic and financial crisis, terrorism, climate changes and other threats. When dealing with a global crisis and periods of instability, multilateral mechanisms are of key importance, said the minister. Therefore, the response to the old and new challenges alike should be a result of joint efforts and visions of the architecture of European security. OSCE, ample in its membership and representation of different political integrations, is the bearer of the concept of security, meticulously built over the decades, and represents a natural place for the dialogue on all the relevant issues of European security within the framework of a three-dimensional concept.

An important dimension of the future of European security should be the regional one, said Minister Jandroković. The Republic of Croatia has a strategic interest in the security of South Eastern Europe and, in view of its recent history and experience in conflict management, a unique perspective towards this part of Europe.

Conclusively, Minister Jandroković pointed out that the dialogue on European security should also entail a transatlantic dimension in order to lay a firmer groundwork for the sharing of common values and defending joint interests. He expressed support for the idea of preparing a structural dialogue on the issues of European security within OSCE, on which the OSCE Ministerial Council should reach a decision at the Athens meeting in December 2009.

The informal meeting also saw a working dinner, which discussed the current state of European security, the intensification of the transatlantic dialogue, and further modalities of strengthening the security architecture.