Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter attaches great importance to cooperative security and rebuilding confidence within Europe. At the security conference on 7 February 2015, he will re-emphasise the significance of these questions, which were already major issues during Switzerland's Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) last year, in a discussion on the OSCE and the instruments at its disposal for the resolution of conflicts, in a panel on the situation in Ukraine and its consequences for European security, and at other events.

Furthermore, special attention must be paid to the OSCE's role and capacity to act in this regard. These aspects will be addressed on Saturday in the first meeting of the OSCE Troika attended by Federal Councillor Burkhalter, Serbian Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ivica Dacic and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The OSCE Troika, which is made up of the current OSCE chair (Serbia) and the preceding (Switzerland) and next chairmanship (Germany) is responsible for the steering of the OSCE and through its cooperation ensures continuity and planning security in the work of the OSCE.

Speeches by Didier Burkhalter at the conference
«The OSCE – an opportunity we must seize together»

“Providing the OSCE with the capacity to reconsolidate European security”

Press releases concerning the conference
Peace through dialogue: OSCE receives Munich Security Conference award for its contribution to peace and stability in Europe

Press release, 07 February 2015 (Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter calls for greater cooperation on security and confidence-building in Europe)

Press release, 05 February 2015 (Security as a common project: Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter takes part in Munich) Security Conference)

Further Information

• Munich Security Conference (official)
• Dossier: OSCE Chairmanship 2014
• OSCE (official)
• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)