VIENNA, 30 May 2013 – The Bureau of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Political Affairs and Security visited the OSCE in Vienna today.

Chair Asa Lindestam (Sweden), Vice-Chair Susanne Bratli (Norway) and Rapporteur Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene (Lithuania) attended a meeting of the Permanent Council and held talks with numerous ambassadors involved in the OSCE's security work.

The delegation spoke about preparations for the upcoming Istanbul Annual Session, the future of the Helsinki +40 process, frozen conflicts and other security matters contained in the committee's draft resolution to be voted on in Istanbul.

Meetings with Ambassador Tacan Ildem, Chairman of the Security Committee and Permanent Representative of Turkey to the OSCE, Ambassador Giedrius Čekuolis, Chairman of the Forum for Security and Cooperation and Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the OSCE, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, Claus Neukirch, Deputy Director of the Conflict Prevention Centre, and Pierre Von Arx, Deputy Head of the Delegation of Switzerland to the OSCE for Security Policy Issues, focused on finding new instruments for dialogue in order to address urgent challenges, including resumption of arms control efforts. The interlocutors also stressed the role of MPs in all phases of the conflict cycle, in particular in mediation.

The PA's Special Representative in Vienna, Amb. Andreas Nothelle hosted the meetings, supported by the staff from the Vienna Office.