During the year of its presidency in OSCE Ireland will seek ways to make progress towards lasting settlements of protracted conflicts in the OSCE area, said incumbent OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Eamon Gilmore.

Presenting Ireland’s priorities to the OSCE Permanent Council, Gilmore welcomed the resumption of the official 5+2 talks in the Transdniestrian settlement process. He also offered his full support for the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to address the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and for the Geneva Discussions dealing with the August 2008 conflict in Georgia.

“We in Ireland know all too well the devastating cost of conflict. This experience may be of benefit in facilitating the efforts which are needed to resolve outstanding conflicts in the OSCE region, using the tools of peaceful negotiation and agreed formats and respecting fully the principles of international law,” he said.

Gilmore noted that each conflict situation is different expressing hope that in sharing Ireland’s experience we will assist and encourage those engaged in seeking lasting settlements to conflicts in our region