Azernews.Az

The foreign ministers of the OSCE member states were unable to agree on a joint declaration at the conclusion of their two-day meeting held in Helsinki last week.
During discussions that centered on European security challenges and resolving lingering conflicts, one of the points of contention was caused by Russia`s barring international observers from entering Georgia`s separatist regions.
After a military incursion in the South Caucasus republic in August that sparked a brief war, Moscow recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. Tbilisi, the United States and numerous European powers condemned the move.
US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried emphasized that Russia had an international obligation to allow the entry of international observers.
But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov countered that the entry of Western warships to the region had further exacerbated tensions.
Decisions at the OSCE are passed on the basis of consensus. Thus, adoption of a joint political declaration at the organization`s meetings has been impossible since 2002.
The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, said at the close of the OSCE ministerial Friday that "the spirit of Helsinki has revitalized the OSCE and the meeting of foreign ministers gave new impetus to discussions on European security challenges."
The two-day meeting was attended by a record 50 foreign ministers from the OSCE`s 56 participating states.
Stubb called the meeting a success, although the ministers did not agree on a joint political declaration. "I`m a little bit disappointed that we didn`t get a political declaration. I think we had a window of opportunity to do it - but we missed it. But at least we were able to sort a few of the key issues."
The thirteen decisions taken by the OSCE ministers concerned a wide range of issues, including the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, fighting trafficking and terrorism.