Parizek: Main Challenge for FSC Presidency Is Consensus and Dialogue
Vienna/Bratislava, January 17 (TASR-correspondent) – Inclusion, transparency and cooperation are the three main prerequisites for implementing a dialogue, and so Slovakia has chosen them for the main features of its presidency of the Forum for Security Cooperation (FSC) of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) based in Vienna, stated Slovak Foreign and European Affairs State Secretary Lukas Parizek on Wednesday after officially opening Slovakia’s FCS Presidency.
“This is an organisation that deals with security and security challenges,” said Parizek about the Forum, adding that when a conflict or misunderstanding occurs between member states, the most important thing is to communicate and talk. “That’s why we’ve had this meeting here today to ensure along with all member states that we’re committed to continuing cooperation and dialogue and to striving to grind the edges as finely as possible in those places where a potential conflict or misunderstanding may be forming.”
In chairing such a forum, Parizek considers finding consensus and dialogue to be the most important elements. “To have all our partners around the table and to listen,” he explained. The feedback from the member states was very positive when the priorities of the Slovak presidency were submitted, said the state secretary,
Parizek noted that Slovakia has defined seven priorities and will accordingly arrange individual meetings of the FSC. He mentioned transparency in the military, the reform of the security sector but also the example of successful military cooperation within the Visegrad Four (V4) grouping (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia).
Parizek explained that the FSC is particularly concerned with the military aspects of security, such as “exchanges of information between member states on military capabilities or the possibility of an inspection within the Vienna Document”. For example, if a country wants to know what military exercise or transfer of its armed forces another country is set to prepare, there’s an agreement within this document to make this information available or to carry out an inspection.
Established at the Helsinki Summit in 1992, the FSC is the key decision-making body of the OSCE in the political-military area. It holds sessions every week in Vienna. The forum serves as a platform for negotiating and consulting on military security, stability and the current security challenges for OSCE-member states.
Slovakia is also set to preside over the OSCE itself for one year as of January 2019.
