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Address by the President of the Republic of Slovenia at the OSCE Ministerial Council 2005

Ljubljana, 12/05/2005  |  press release, speech


Click to enlargeLadies and gentlemen, heads of delegations and members of delegations,

I wish to welcome you on behalf of the country hosting this ministerial council, on behalf of Slovenia, which chairing the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2005. It is thirty years since the OSCE was established. In the three decades of its existence, it has certainly demonstrated its relevance, importance and usefulness. Europe and its neighbourhood have taken an important step forward in these thirty years. There have been many differences, situations of crisis, tense situations. The OSCE has often stood out as the key factor in calming down such situations, in seeking an exit and establishing stability in Europe and its neighbourhood.

Click to enlargeThe name itself of the Organization for Security and Cooperation expresses its very essence. Security is the most important thing that the citizens of our countries need. Without a sense of security, one cannot build a peaceful, constructive society, one cannot ensure a peaceful everyday; and, of course, there is no security without cooperation. Only through mutual cooperation we can ensure security for each other and for all. Cooperation is based on confidence and mutual trust. In my opinion, one of the fundamentals of the organization is establishing mutual confidence. Regular cooperation within the framework of the organisation, the joint search for solutions to crisis situations, means that we get to know each other better, that we understand each other better and that we really establish the basic trust needed for finding a way out of such situations. This trust must be constructed and nurtured in the future, too, as one of the fundamental elements of this organization.

We are diverse. The membership of the organisation is made up of very different countries, with different cultures, different policies, and different political and economic situations. We must respect this diversity, take our lead from it. The organization will continue to be successful, if we are sincere in doing so, if we respect each other, including our differences, if we do not impose our own models and manners on others. There are, of course, common foundations, the human values that we all nurture and respect. This must be the cornerstone all of our activities.

Click to enlargeThe citizens of our countries above all want peace. They want cooperation. They also want the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to be successful. We know that the organization has had difficulties from time to time; there has even at times been talk of a crisis. However, I am sure that none of the participating states really believes that the OSCE will not be needed in the future. There are so many challenges ahead of us. We are already aware today of a number of conflict situations, sometimes referred to as frozen conflicts, but solutions must be found and this would be much more difficult without the OSCE.

During its year of chairmanship Slovenia has done its best in its best efforts to guide and strengthen the OSCE, for the organisation to be constructive in all its activities. As a relatively small country, Slovenia has invested its best efforts into this chairmanship, we have used our diplomatic potentials, and it has been an important challenge for us. I hope that we have met your expectations, that you are satisfied with our chairmanship and that Slovenia has contributed its part to security and cooperation, to mutual trust among the participating states. I hope that we have contributed an element into the mosaic of our common cooperation, into the mosaic of the better world for which we all long: a more peaceful world, a world with more mutual trust, greater awareness of human values, mutual respect and cooperation.

I wish you fruitful work today and tomorrow, success in completing what you planned to do during the ministerial conference and also that the work of the OSCE will continue and develop in the best possible way in the future.
Thank you.
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