OSCE PA says resolution of conflicts a priority

PanARMENIAN.Net - Stressing the continuing need for enhanced efforts to settle existing conflicts in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) area in a peaceful and negotiated manner, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly reconfirmed that addressing protracted conflicts in the OSCE area and seeking to achieve progress towards their resolution in a peaceful and negotiated manner, within agreed frameworks, while fully respecting the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and international law, is a priority for the Organization.

In its final declaration adopted at the 23rd Annual Meeting in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, the OSCE PA welcomed the efforts by the OSCE participating States and the Secretariat to hold bilateral and multilateral negotiations in order to resolve conflicts that threaten the security of the OSCE region.

The declaration also stresses the high significance of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) adopted by the UN General Assembly in April 2013 in global efforts in the field of arms control to achieve a security community, and encourages OSCE participating States to proceed with its ratification so that the ATT can enter into force soon

It calls for measures limiting, prohibiting and controlling the illegal trade of small arms and light weapons (SALW), including their diversion to non-State actors in conflict areas, as well as the uncontrolled circulation and misuse of these arms in non-conflict situations, which pose multiple threats to societies and contribute to numerous casualties every year, including among civilians.

Besides, the declaration calls for the creation, on the platform of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, of an interparliamentary liaison group on Ukraine in order to de-escalate the situation on the ground and support the country out of the crisis.

The Armenian delegation to OSCE PA is headed by RPA member Artashes Geghamyan.