The OSCE chairperson-in-office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis, has met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other officials.
Azubalis underlined Lithuania‘s commitment to promoting OSCE principles, including conflict resolution, during his meetings in Washington on 16 February.
The meetings discussed progress in the resolution of protracted conflicts, the OSCE reported in a press release.
One of the areas of focus for the OSCE chairmanship will be the South Caucasus. "Greater engagement by the co-chairs of the Minsk Group will also be required to reduce the growing tensions on the ground in and around Nagorno-Karabakh," Azubalis said, referring to the OSCE group mediating a solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
He also raised the OSCE's role in improving security and addressing humanitarian needs in the areas affected by the Russian-Georgian conflict in August 2008.
At hearings at the US Helsinki Commission, Azubalis discussed challenges to human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law throughout the OSCE region, as well as the need to address emerging transnational threats and the results of the recent OSCE Summit in Astana.
“The Lithuanian OSCE chairmanship is determined to work together with all participating states to fully realize the vision of a comprehensive, cooperative and indivisible security community throughout our shared OSCE area,” said Azubalis.
The Helsinki Commission - formally known as the Commission on Security and Co-operation in Europe - is an independent US government agency responsible for monitoring and encouraging compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments.
During his stay in Washington, the OSCE chairman-in-office also met the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Leithenen, and other members of the committee. He is to meet Senator Benjamin Cardin, co-chairman of the Helsinki Commission, and conclude his visit with a discussion at the Atlantic Council.
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