Minister Oskanian participated today in the 11th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Together with the ministers of the other 54 countries, the Minister spoke to the plenary session of the annual council which adopts OSCE policy for the upcoming year.

Minister Oskanian spoke about OSCE issues, including the new document on economic strategy, the OSCE Strategy to Address Threats to Stability and Security in the Twenty-first Century and a document on Human Trafficking.

“For Armenia, the OSCE is not one organization-among- many. It is the singular institution whose geopolitical realm and membership of 55 encompasses a more inclusive definition of Europe than anyone else's - the OSCE's understanding of security is more comprehensive more multidimensional, more indivisible than that of any comparable multilateral organization. By putting on equal footing the politico-military, the economic and the human dimensions, it assumes and presumes that norms, commitments and codes are fundamental elements in maintaining security,” the Minister said.

On the thorny subject of human trafficking, the Minister commented, “I have become convinced that no other issue poses a greater challenge to us all. It confronts us with ourselves, with our innermost values and conventions, and with our public professions about human rights and civilization. A Europe that can tolarate this form of slavery in its midst, at the dawn of the 21st century, must answer to the charges of hypocrisy, double talk, complicity , callousness, or at the very least indifference and ineffectualness.”

The Minister’s statement focused on Georgia and Nagorno-Karabagh. On Georgia, he said, “We want for Georgia that which we want for ourselves. Georgia is our good neighbor and friend. It is home to half a million ethnic Armenians. Georgia is our major conduit to Europe and to the world. So, at the end of the day, we are no less interested in the stability of Georgia than are Georgians themselves. We are pleased that there have been no major interruptions in our political or economic relations. We are therefore ready to welcome and work closely with any government that expresses the aspirations of the people of Georgia.”

On Nagorno Karabagh, the Minister called for renewed political will to resolve the conflict on the 10th anniversary of the cease-fire, to be marked next year. “Whereas the unresolved conflict in Nagorno Karabagh is being presented as an element of instability in the region, Nagorno Karabagh itself is a stable, established entity which can contribute to peace. Let me explain. Next spring, we will mark the 10th anniversary of the world’s longest lasting, and today, its only self-monitored ceasefire. There are two reasons for this success. One is the balance that had been achieved and recognized. The other, perhaps more important, is the political will on all sides, to avoid bloodshed, to allow people to continue with their lives as their elected leaders work towards finding a solution.”

On the same day, the Minister held several bilateral meetings. The Ministerial Council continues tomorrow.