OSCE PA President Christine Muttonen addresses OSCE Foreign Ministers in Mauerbach, Austria, 11 July 2017.MAUERBACH, Austria, 11 July 2017 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) addressed today the OSCE Informal Ministerial Meeting being held in Mauerbach, Austria, under the theme “Building Trust through Dialogue and Co-operation.”

The meeting, convened by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, is intended to offer a forum for informal exchanges to find common solutions to current challenges to European security.

Noting that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 26th Annual Session concluded just two days ago in Minsk, she highlighted the recommendations adopted by the Assembly over several days of meetings. She stressed common concerns about the state of the European security architecture and the OSCE. In these times of international discord, she said, the PA is an ideal place for free and extensive dialogue to take place.

“There can be no doubt that we are going through a serious crisis that poses considerable threats to the security of our citizens,” Muttonen said. “Unfortunately, the reaction is far too often to deploy military forces. However, an arms race has never brought about a sustainable increase in security.”

She pointed out that at the time that the OSCE was founded four decades ago, at the height of Cold War tensions, East and West managed to create measures to significantly strengthen human security, followed by further steps towards disarmament and arms control. “Why should this not be possible again today?” she asked.

The President urged steps be taken to strengthen the OSCE and, after a political agreement had been found regarding the vacant top four leadership positions in the OSCE on the sidelines of the meeting, stressed the need to quickly take the necessary decisions.

She added that only a quick resolution of such disagreements will ensure that the OSCE can continue to function and serve the OSCE’s people.

The President is also using the opportunity in Mauerbach to share with OSCE ministers and ambassadors the outcomes of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 26th Annual Session.

This afternoon, President Muttonen has participated in a roundtable discussion at the Informal Ministerial on “Preventing violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism.” The discussion is intended to explore trends in violent extremism impacting OSCE countries and how governments should respond adequately.