Skopje, 26 September 2023 (MIA) — To address the current issues related to the overall functioning of the Organization, the OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia convened Tuesday a reinforced meeting of the Permanent Council at the ministerial level, according to an OSCE press release.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, said the OSCE was facing unprecedented risks and challenges that require immediate resolution.

"As our Chairpersonship motto says ‘It’s about people’ and for them we need to sit at this table and discuss solutions,” he said.

According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release, FM Osmani also said: "While the impact of Russian military aggression against Ukraine has caused tectonic upheavals in the wider OSCE region, the Organization has been able to demonstrate flexibility, adapting to the circumstances and continuing to offer support."

"Only with responsible leadership and common solutions will we able to make sure OSCE continues effectively implementing its mandate," he said.

He also presented proposed solutions to overcome the challenges, calling on ministers and high officials to demonstrate strong political will and constructiveness.

“Peace, stability and cooperative security today in the OSCE region are shattered. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine continues to take innocent lives and cause widespread suffering. The continuation of this war harms our Organization too – it challenges its relevance and purpose,” he said.

Almost all OSCE participating States underlined the importance of the OSCE as an Organization with its unique, comprehensive, approach to security. They expressed their support to the prompt call for action to enable a functional and effective OSCE, the OSCE press release says.

“The challenges ahead are enormous and we should act together in overcoming them. It is a ripe time to substantiate our declarations that we care about this Organization. The OSCE exists and works for the people, it can and it will deliver, carried by the waves of support that we witnessed today. It is for these reasons that we have to support and ensure its functionality,” Chairman Osmani said.

The OSCE participating States were represented by foreign ministers and high officials. The meeting took place at the Hofburg in Vienna and was held in a blended format, the release adds. mr/