December 2, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu delivered speech at the 17th OSCE Ministerial Council in Athens, touching upon issues related to European security, OSCE’s human dimension commitments as well as unresolved conflict throughout Europe.

Turkish FM signified OSCE’s role in the energy security field, saying “Turkey values the OSCE’s role, as a platform for energy security dialogue, in strengthening regional and global cooperation on best practices, sharing and exchange of expertise, as well as fostering contacts between energy producers, consumers and transit countries.”

Speaking about the unresolved conflicts in Europe, Davutoglu mentioned that they “threaten the security and stability of our continent”, having different roots as well as historical and political background. “Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity must constitute the bedrock of any settlement,” he added.

“In this vein let me reiterate the continued support of Turkey to the mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and its Co-Chairmen. We encourage both sides to build upon the existing momentum in order to achieving a breakthrough without further delay. Turkey is of the view that efforts aimed at the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the creation of an environment of durable peace and stability in the region are mutually reinforcing and have a direct impact on one another. The two processes cannot be seen in isolation.

The war in Georgia in 2008 was a reminder that the so-called frozen conflicts are not so frozen after all. The damage which this war has inflicted upon the overall political climate and its negative impact on other areas of the OSCE’s work have yet to be remedied. A successful outcome of the Geneva talks would be a first step. The closure of the OSCE presence in Georgia is regrettable and we hope that Kazakhstan will continue the efforts of the Greek Chairmanship in order to re-establish a meaningful OSCE field operation in Georgia,” Davutoglu said.