Under the theme 'Common Security in the Mediterranean Region - Challenges and Opportunities', the 2015 Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) Mediterranean Conference was underway earlier today in Jordan, tackling a comprehensive approach to reflect the 40th anniversary of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act.
Luxembourg was represented at the Conference by Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, present at the joint invitation of Serbian OSCE Presidency-in-Office, the German Presidency of the Mediterranean Forum and the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, Nasser Judah.
Principal attendees included the Mediterranean Partners for Co-Operation, consisting of Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. Working sessions were targeted at in-depth examinations on common Euro-Mediterranean security issues, such as violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism, illegal immigration, refugee protection, human trafficking and the role of intercultural and interfaith dialogue.
Stating migration as a priority issue of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Minister Asselborn advised that "we must recognise that no country is able to face this unprecedented crisis alone. Turning in on ourselves can not be a solution. Everyone must work hard with their own wealth and abilities and I want to call on Gulf States to even more intensively continue their efforts on behalf of refugees. It is only all together, countries of origin, transit and destination of migrants, that we will provide an answer to the challenge of migration in the Mediterranean".
The Minister also emphasised the need to address the root causes of migrant and refugee flows - a point he previously addressed during the United Nations General Assembly last month. He stated that the solution to the Syrian conflict must not be political, having previously criticised recent Russian actions which would help keep al-Assad in place.
"External forces influencing the warring parties should be, instead of financially supporting the war, working for a political solution between the moderates," commented Minister Asselborn, before expressing his belief that "the key to resolving the conflict lies in a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran at the regional level but also between the United States and Russia at the international level."
The Minister further stressed that "the overall solution to the Iranian nuclear question, which the E3+3 and the EU reached after several years of negotiations with Iran, shows that we must not despair of the ability of diplomacy to solve the most difficult problems".
On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Asselborn met with the OSCE Secretary General, Lamberto Zannier and engaged in bilateral meetings with his counterparts in order to take stock of international politics.
Photo by MAEE (L-R: Jean Asselborn with Paolo Gentillon and Didier Burkhalter)
