Serbia and Switzerland to chair OSCE IN 2015
Bern, Belgrade, Feb. 10- Serbia will chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2015, it was decided at the OSCE headquarters in Vienna .
Successive presidency is a new model for the OSCE, and Switzerland and Serbia have expressed willingness to jointly make a two-year plan.
The two countries have formulated the principles of cooperation in a document entitled Principles of Cooperation.
Switzerland hailed an OSCE decision on Switzerland and Serbia successively chairing the organization in 2014 and 2015, respectively, as an opportunity to contribute to the positive development of the region of South East Europe.
"This decision is good news for Switzerland", Didier Burkhalter, head of the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs, said in a post on the department's website. He added that it perfectly matched one of the country's foreign policy priorities Switzerland's commitment to the stability of Europe and improving security and cooperation throughout Europe.
Burkhalter announced that he would discuss cooperation with Serbia through the OSCE presidency with Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic in Bern, on March 1.
Switzerland and Serbia handed in their candidacies for the OSCE chair in 2014 and 2015 at the same time. They outlined the principles of cooperation during this two year period in a document called "Principles of Cooperation." The two year shared presidency is new for the OSCE, the website said, adding that this "innovative approach will allow for longterm planning and consistency that will benefit our organization" and "facilitate the development of a perspective for the future of the OSCE."
Italian FM hails OSCE decision
Vienna, Feb. 10 - Italian Foreign Minister Guilio Terzi hailed the OSCE's decision to hand the chair over to Switzerland and Serbia in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
"With great pleasure, I welcome the achievement of results which Italy gladly hails through its intense diplomatic activity at the OSCE Head Office," Terzi said.
President Boris Tadic called the fact that Serbia had been given the OSCE chair in 2015, good news. Tadic said that Serbia's upcoming OSCE presidency was good for the country's international reputation and credibility.