“The crisis in and around Ukraine has underscored the enduring relevance and the need to reaffirm, strengthen and safeguard the Helsinki principles,” said OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic in addressing the Panel of Eminent Persons on European Security as a Common Project.

“In today’s circumstances, it is extremely difficult to strengthen again European security as a common project,” said Dacic. “Yet it is clear that there remains strong interest among the participating States in continuing this kind of a dialogue beyond 2015, taking into account the lessons learned from Helsinki +40, as well as the findings of this Panel”.

“What we need are fresh and innovative ideas. The Panel’s interim report has already provided a number of valuable recommendations to help deal with the challenges we face, looking into possibilities of broadening our efforts, tackling complexity of the OSCE’s work,” said Dacic, underlining Serbia’s strong support for the Panel’s work.

The Panel of Eminent Persons, which met in Belgrade for consultations, is chaired by Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, and is mandated to advise on how to reconsolidate European security as a common project. The Panel’s final report with recommendations will be released on the eve of the 22nd Ministerial Council in Belgrade.