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The consensus on the foundations of European security has gradually eroded in recent years. The ongoing crisis in and around Ukraine has challenged co-operative security and aggravated emerging divisions.

In order to provide advice and recommendations on how to address these challenges, a “Panel of Eminent Persons on European Security as a Common Project” has been established by the 2014 Swiss OSCE Chairmanship, in close co-operation with the incoming 2015 Serbian and 2016 German Chairmanships.

The Panel, consisting of 15 eminent personalities with long-standing practical expertise in European security, has been tasked to prepare the basis for an inclusive and constructive security dialogue across the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions. The Panel has produced two reports: an Interim Report on lessons learned for the OSCE from its engagement in Ukraine (in June 2015), and a Final Report on the broader issues of security in Europe and the OSCE area at large (in November 2015).

In line with the Panel’s mandate, the OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institution has also prepared a contribution to the Panel’s work. The report “Reviving Co-operative Security in Europe through the OSCE” was published and submitted to the Panel on 2 October 2015.

The side event will provide an opportunity to present key findings of the Panel, to discuss how its recommendations could be included in a political dialogue and implemented within the OSCE framework, and to compare recommendations of the Panel with those of the OSCE Network.

Venue: Kombank Arena, meeting room NORTH, level 100

Participants: open to all members of OSCE Delegations

Moderator: Ambassador Fred Tanner, Senior Adviser to the OSCE Secretary General

PROGRAMME

15:15-15:30 Opening by OSCE Troika Ministers (tbc)

H. E. Ivica Dačić, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia

H. E. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany

H. E. Didier Burkhalter, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland

15:30-15:40 Presentation of key findings of the Panel of Eminent Persons

Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Persons

Sir Robert Cooper, Head of drafting/editorial team of the Panel of Eminent Persons

15:40-15:55 The recommendations of the Panel and a way forward: Perspectives from OSCE Delegations

Ambassador Katja Pehrman, Permanent Representative of Finland to the OSCE

Ambassador Isabelle Poupart, Permanent Representative of Canada to the OSCE

Ambassador Christian Strohal, Permanent Representative of Austria to the OSCE

15:55-16:05 The recommendations of the Panel and a way forward: Perspectives from the OSCE Network

Dr Wolfgang Zellner, Head of the Centre for OSCE Research and Deputy

Director of the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg

Ms. Sonja Stojanovic Gajic, Director of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy

16:05-16:15 Discussion with audience