HAMBURG, Germany, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said Friday that partnership between the UN body and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is "essential" for addressing today's challenges including violent conflicts and extremism.
The UN chief spoke highly of the OSCE in a written message read out at the 23rd Ministerial Council of the OSCE, which ended in Hamburg on Friday.
"In challenging times in Europe and Euro-Asia, the OSCE's conflict-resolution and confidence-building mechanism has provided much needed tools to promoting long-term stability and sustainable development," Ban said.
"The danger of renewed conflicts in the South Caucasus and other areas emphasizes the need to maintain focus on finding lasting peaceful solutions that are acceptable to all parties," he added.
He said that the UN stands ready to further deepen its cooperation with the OSCE and its participating states to this end.
In Ukraine, he said, the OSCE and its mission remain vital to preserve peace and security in the country.
"To fulfill the promises of the Helsinki Final Act, the OSCE depends on the political will of its memberships to find compromises," Ban said, referring to the documents adopted in Helsinki in 1975 which led to the creation of the OSCE.
"The 57 leaders assembled in this forum hold the key to the stability and peace in Europe," he stressed.
The OSCE comprises 57 participating states from Europe, Central Asia and North America, making it the biggest security-oriented regional organization in the world.
