VIENNA, 16 July 2019 – Addressing the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting in Vienna on Monday, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President George Tsereteli emphasized the need for broad multilateral diplomacy and an inclusive approach to international relations.

George Tsereteli addresses the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting in Vienna, 15 July 2019The meeting, organized by the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship with the support of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), focused on the mutually supporting role between the multilateral system and national human rights institutions, and the resulting benefits to the overall delivery of OSCE human dimension commitments.

“Many different actors, beyond state governments, have a legitimate voice and we must listen to them if we want to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing us,” said Tsereteli. “This in no way diminishes the importance of classic diplomacy among governments. Quite the contrary; an inclusive approach adds strength and legitimacy to international relations that can otherwise appear distant from the real needs of the people we serve.”

He added that a broad outlook to multilateral diplomacy, involving parliamentarians, civil society, academia and others, is needed in order to ensure a strong and principled approach to human rights.

Lukas Parizek, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic and Special Representative for the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship, ODIHR Director Ingibjorg Gisladottir, and Ambassador Bruce G. Berton, Head of OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, also addressed the meeting.

Participants stressed that in a complex security environment dominated by transnational challenges that no one country can face alone, multilateral co-operation is needed more than ever. The OSCE’s multilateral approach to comprehensive security plays a key role in bringing States to the table to resolve issues, they said.

For more information about the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting, please visit osce.org.