Credit: OSCE
On Thursday 5 and Friday 6 December 2024, Luxembourg’s deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, participated in the 31st meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which took place in Malta.
Discussions on strengthening resilience and security in Europe, the war in Ukraine and the role of the OSCE in promoting peace were on the agenda.
As 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, Minister Bettel reiterated his strongest condemnation of the Russian aggression against Ukraine – a flagrant violation of all the principles set out in these historic agreements, the ministry noted.
In his speech, Xavier Bettel also deplored the fact that Russia shows no sincere willingness to reach a resolution of the conflict and a just peace in Ukraine – contrary to what the Russian side has been constantly repeating.
Minister Bettel then stressed the importance of respecting the rule of law, freedom of the press and human rights (including the rights of ethnic and sexual minorities) within the OSCE countries themselves, particularly in light of the latest developments, among others, in Georgia.
Finally, Minister Bettel reiterated his support for the essential work carried out by the OSCE in a wide range of areas, deploring the institutional crisis and blockage affecting the organisation.
The ministerial meeting also gave Minister Bettel the chance to meet with other counterparts. He held bilateral talks with Norway's Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, and Monaco's Foreign Minister, Isabelle Berro-Amadeï.
