Germany is ready to take on the responsibility of steering the OSCE against the background of one of the most serious crises since the end of the Cold War, with a vision for its 2016 Chairmanship based on dialogue, trust and security, the country’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the OSCE’s Permanent Council in Vienna today.

Addressing representatives of the OSCE’s 57 participating States, Steinmeier stressed that dialogue – one of the Organization’s key pillars – was essential to resolve the crisis in and around Ukraine and rebuild trust in the OSCE region.

“The dialogue to which I am referring will not be a fair-weather dialogue, it will rather be contentious,” Steinmeier stressed: “We need to be clear about the reasons for this loss of trust: Russia’s annexation of Crimea violated international law and a fundamental principle of Europe’s security order – the inviolability of borders – and thereby called Europe’s security into question.”

Steinmeier pointed out the crucial role of the OSCE, including the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, and thanked all those who are present in crisis regions for the OSCE: “They are rendering an outstanding and invaluable service for the benefit of all our security.”

Concerning Germany’s priorities during its OSCE Chairmanship 2016, Steinmeier highlighted the fact that dialogue and co-operation also needed to be strengthened in areas such as arms control and political and military exchanges. Amongst other issues, Germany would focus on the fight against common threats such as terrorism, radicalization, drug trafficking and the abuse of cyberspace. As Chair of the OSCE, Germany would promote economic exchanges – especially those that touched on good governance issues such as combatting corruption, minimizing environmental threats and managing cross border migration, said Steinmeier.

Civil society had to play an increasing role in the dialogue within OSCE, stressed the German Foreign Minister. The respect for OSCE commitments in the human dimension was essential: “I am convinced: the granting of fundamental civil liberties and rights guarantees peace and stability…Only a government that protects basic rights has earned the confidence of its people.”

He added that OSCE institutions, including the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and the Representative for Freedom of the Media, must be strengthened, not weakened.

German Foreign Minister Steinmeier concluded that Germany, building on work done by previous OSCE Chairmanships and together with current and future Troika partners Switzerland, Serbia and Austria, would work hard for dialogue, security and trust in the OSCE.