652nd Meeting of the Permanent Council
The European Union thanks the Director of the Conflict Prevention Centre for his first presentation on the activities of the CPC with a special emphasis on border security and management.Good border management is conducive to stability and security in the OSCE region. On the other hand, weak border management provides loopholes for terrorism and organized crime and can result in crises and conflicts. There is a direct link therefore, between border security and management and the specific competence of the OSCE in its comprehensive concept of security. This applies in particular to our work to combat threats emanating from terrorism, organized crime and trafficking. These threats to our security should indeed be tackled by using co-operative approaches.
The European Union attaches great importance to the OSCE Border Security and Management Concept adopted in 2005. The establishment of an OSCE Border Security and Management National Focal Point Network aiming at an enhanced cross border co-operation will be an important step in the implementation of this concept. We support the newly established Security Committee and other OSCE structures dealing with the implementation of the concept. Border Security and Management is clearly a task of cross-dimensional character. Therefore we welcome and encourage the close co-operation between the different relevant units of the OSCE Secretariat dealing with border related issues as well as field operations.
We have taken note of the regional priorities presented by the Director of the CPC. Open and secure borders contribute in a significant and visible way to regional security, co operation and stability. The European Union is actively engaged in programmes and projects in Eastern Europe, South Eastern Europe, in the South Caucasus, and in Central Asia related to border security and management. For example, with EUBAM at the border between the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine or in Georgia, where the European Union maintains a Border Support Team, we enjoy excellent cooperation with the OSCE on border management issues. OSCE and European Union have also been close partners in the Ohrid Border Process which will be successfully completed in the near future. We welcome the initiative of the OSCE field missions to assist participating states from the region in ensuring that the approved cross border agreements lead to operational results. We see potential for deepened co-operation in Central Asia where the European Union has been working with its BOMCA programme. In this context we expect with great interest the project proposals for Tajikistan. In addition, the EU would like to point to the opportunities offered by the establishment of its External Borders Agency FRONTEX.
Finally, the European Union would like to wish the Director of the CPC and his competent staff all success in their important work.
The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia, EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this statement.
