Moscow underscores importance of OSCE institutional reform

A priority issue for Russia in the context of the session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Porto is "to give an additional impulse to the process of the institutional reform of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe." Official spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alexander Yakovenko spoke about it in his interview which he gave to RIA Novosti in connection with the coming session of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers in Porto. According to him, this also concerns "the adaptation of the OSCE mechanisms to the present-day situation, first of all to intensifying the fight against the challenges and threats today and strengthening the prerogatives of the collective bodies in working out and adopting decisions on all the questions of the functioning of the organisation.

In Porto, the diplomat pointed out, "we shall conduct not an easy but constructive and interesting conversation concerning a number of regional problems" which are traditionally in the competence of the OSCE. "Only by taking into consideration the interests of each other and seeking mutually advantageous compromises and decisions can substantial results be achieved at the coming session of the Council of Foreign Ministers and can this session contribute to the maintenance of the high authority of the OSCE," underscored Alexander Yakovenko.