European Union

The Madrid Ministerial Council meeting of the OSCE is over. After a valiant effort by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister Moratinos of Spain and his team, quite a number of ministerial decisions were agreed. The incoming Chairman-in-office for 2008, Minister Ilkka Kanerva of Finland, can expect strong support from the EU and indeed from the European Commission. In her statement at the Ministerial, which followed directly after the EU intervention delivered by Foreign Minister Amado of Portugal, Commissioner Benita Ferrero Waldner underlined that she will spare no effort to support the OSCE.