Pia Kauma addresses interparliamentary conference in Budapest, 10 September 2024BUDAPEST, 10 September 2024 – Addressing the Interparliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy in Budapest today, OSCE PA President Pia Kauma (Finland) stressed the crucial role of parliamentarians in continuing to build trust in a time of unprecedented international challenges. The conference was held in the framework of the interparliamentary co-operation of the European Union presidency, at the invitation of the Hungarian National Assembly.
During the session on geopolitical and strategic shifts, President Kauma highlighted, in particular, the importance of co-operation between the EU and the OSCE, emphasizing their distinct and complementary tools.
“The OSCE possesses numerous instruments which are available to all participating States to contribute to stabilization and the strengthening of democratic governance and human rights,” she said. “The EU possesses a range of soft power tools and financial incentives that can be more directly impactful. The EU’s binding obligations on its Member States enable it to provide substantial financial aid, implement sanctions, and exert economic pressure.”
In the regional context, she noted that the war in Ukraine has profound implications for the region’s security, underscoring the need for utilizing the OSCE’s and EU’s full toolboxes to ensure a robust response to aggression and defence of national sovereignty.
President Kauma also stressed that co-operation is vital in areas such as locating and repatriating children forcibly taken to Russia and assisting in the rebuilding of devastated cities. Turning to the broader geopolitical context, she remarked that the Middle East crisis has significant implications for European security and requires political will to resolve.
On the sidelines of the conference, President Kauma held a bilateral meeting with the Members of the Hungarian Delegation to discuss Hungary’s priorities during its EU presidency and how these align with the OSCE’s objectives. The discussions also shed light on migration politics and the impact of the war in Ukraine on Hungary and its role in addressing these challenges.
Established by the Conference of Speakers of the EU Parliaments in 2012, the Interparliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy provides a framework for the exchange of information and best practices between national parliaments and the European Parliament in the area of security and defence.
