The new Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Ambassador Andreas Ignatiou, presented on Wednesday, 4 October 2023, his credentials to the Secretary General of the Organization, Ms Helga Schmid.
In the meeting that followed with the Secretary General, Ambassador Ignatiou expressed his full support to the work of the OSCE despite the unprecedented challenges that it faces due to the current geopolitical climate. He reiterated that the OSCE and multilateralism must be preserved, not at the expense of our values but while building upon them and by safeguarding them. He also expressed the certainty that the rule-based system and the commitment to our fundamental values will prevail.
Ambassador Ignatiou and Ms Schmid exchanged views and agreed to remain in close contact in view of Cyprus assuming the Chair of the Forum of Security Co-operation (FSC) for the period from January to April 2024. The Forum which will be chaired by Ambassador Ignatiou is, together with the Permanent Council, one of the two autonomous decision-making bodies of the OSCE. It meets on a weekly basis and discusses a wide range of politico-military issues. As the incoming Chair, Cyprus is currently a member of the FSC Troika, together with Canada (current Chair) and Bulgaria (previous Chair).
