The resolution of protracted conflicts through agreed formats is high on the agenda of Serbia's OSCE Chairmanship, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said while presenting priorities of Serbian chairmanship.

“I believe there is room to try to move away from the status quo in relation to the protracted conflicts in the OSCE area and we should step up our efforts in that direction. Needless to say that the high-level contacts between the parties should continue and the meetings of the formats should proceed regularly without hindrance,” he said at Permanent Council meeting in Viena.

He underscored importance of small but concrete steps that could improve trust and confidence among parties, thus opening the way to tackle substantive problems.

“At the end of the day, the key to advancing the peace processes related to unresolved conflicts in the OSCE area lies mainly with the parties. On our part, we need to pledge our collective support to their peaceful settlement by investing additional efforts to generate the necessary political will”.

Dacic assured that this year will be important in terms of ensuring that the most recent experiences of the OSCE are translated into more effective tools and activities which could help us reinvigorate our efforts in addressing the 7 protracted conflicts and prevent the reoccurrences of crises.