Skopje, 30 November 2023 (MIA) - OSCE is an organization with 57 member-states on an equal footing and I believe we are well advised to stick to the rules that had been agreed decades ago, treating everyone equally, said Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg upon arriving at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Skopje on Thursday.

FM Schallenberg expressed full understanding over the cancellation of several delegations due to the attendance of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, but believes OSCE is required for dialogue.

"I fully understand them, especially our Ukrainian friends who have decided against attending but I believe this is an organization we need, not only for the difficult relations with Russia but also for Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Therefore, we need this platform for dialogue and if one looks at the current state of global relations, I believe that the need for OSCE will be even greater in the future," said Schallenberg.

In a statement for Austrian media outlets ahead of today's summit in Skopje, Schallenberg urged all OSCE member-states to contribute to the organization's strengthening, noting "it is on life support", expecting greater commitment from all countries.

"The West should not be afraid to sit on the table with the Russians. This is multilateralism at its best. I believe the tendency to go into one's own echo-chambers is extremely dangerous in foreign policy," noted Shcallenberg.

Photo: MIA