"On the Road to Helsinki + 40: Devising a common response to the security challenges of the OSCE region in 2015 and beyond"

Ambassador Grau
Ambassador Winkler
Mr. Warner
Distinguished Participants:

Thank you for the invitation to be part of the OSCE Focus 2012; I appreciate the opportunity to be here and to see many familiar faces. This is an occasion for sharing ideas about how we can increase our partnership.

A week ago, the European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This award reminds us of the achievements and potential of regional groupings in consolidating peace and enhancing prosperity and the role of the OSCE should not be underestimated. We need to remember that it was the OSCE, which embodied the end of the Cold War.

From the point of view of the United Nations, we need to build on these accomplishments and fully realize the potential through stronger partnerships. I therefore greatly appreciate that you have included the voice and views of the United Nations in your discussions. Not only because the United Nations and the OSCE are bound together by common values and core principles. But also because it is clear that we can only fulfil our respective mandates through cooperation.

I would also like to express my congratulations to the Swiss Government on the 2014 OSCE Chairmanship. This is a significant responsibility which shows again the unique experience of Switzerland as a Host Country and a platform for global governance. The presence here of the Joint Special Envoy for Syria and the Geneva International Discussions are just some examples. I have no doubt that you will succeed.

I had the privilege last year of addressing in Vienna a joint meeting of the Permanent Council and the Forum for Security Co-operation of the OSCE. Here, I highlighted conflict prevention, counter-terrorism, cyber security, democratization and arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation as areas where cooperation between the United Nations and the OSCE could be reinforced. I believe that developments over the past year have only further underlined the need for greater collective action in these areas as we approach the 40th anniversary of Helsinki.

I see opportunities for bolstering our common prevention efforts, not least through greater use of Geneva as a platform for mediation, confidence-building and dialogue. In Kyrgyzstan, the United Nations and the OSCE worked together, quickly and flexibly, to ease the crisis. In the Caucasus, we are engaged with the European Union in the Geneva International Discussions which are supported logistically by my Office. We stand ready to work more closely with the OSCE in harnessing the potential of Geneva for conflict prevention.

The recent attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi was just one of the latest reminders that terrorism remains a very dangerous force. No region is immune; global networks collaborate across national and regional boundaries, and need to be confronted through a combination of regional and global efforts. Regional organizations have a particularly important role to play in helping countries, not least to develop capacity in this regard.

According to the ITU’s 2012 “Measuring the Information Society” report, launched only last week, there were 6 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide at the end of 2011, an increase of more than 600 million from 2010. Also by the end of 2011, 2.3 billion people – that is one in three – were using the Internet. Connectivity brings vulnerability. Cyber attacks against transportation systems, electricity networks, or chemical or nuclear facilities are technically possible. Such attacks would result in high numbers of civilian casualties and cause extensive material damage. So, in my view, cyber security is, in my view, the new frontier in transnational threats, and we need to enhance our cooperation in this area accordingly.

I have just returned from discussions in the United Nations General Assembly’s First Committee, which deals with disarmament, global challenges and threats to peace. I was struck in many of the statements not only by the continuing importance of disarmament but also by how strategic concerns and experiences do differ across regions. There is clearly scope for a more sustained focus on disarmament at regional level and an exchange of views across regional groupings. The pace and extent of global multilateral disarmament efforts are currently, to a large extent, a reflection of regional concerns. I believe that we need to connect regional and global levels better in this area. The OSCE may play an important role in this regard.

These were only a few brief remarks to feed into your discussions. As Director-General of UNOG, I wish to be engaged in these debates, in relation to Europe, Asia and other regions. We need a broader vision of security and to undertake common measures, including in relation to cyber security, as I highlighted earlier.

I wish you fruitful discussions.

Thank you