Menu
Latest
Menu
Latest
Commentary

Brussels conference emphasises importance of CBMs for resolving conflicts.

18 December 2013

At a conference focusing on the unresolved conflicts in Eastern Europe held in Brussels on Tuesday, 17 December, the importance of confidence buidling measures as a way of helping the resolution of the conflicts was highlighted by many of the speakers and participants.

The conference with the theme "Bringing peace to the EU's Eastern neighbourhood - Challenges, prospects and opportunities for the OSCE and the EU" was organised by the European Policy Centre (EPC) and Conflict Management Initiative (CMI) in collaboration with the Lithuanian Presidency of the European Union, and was held in the premisies of the Lithuanian Delegation to the EU in Brussels.

The issue of confidence building measures was prominent in the first panel which looked at the events of the past two decades. Speakers on the panel emphasised that such measures are essential to create the right conditions for the sides to conduct negotiations and to avoid misperception. The matter was of particular importance in the context of the conflict on Nagorno-Karabakh it was stated. This view was also supported by the representatives of the Embassies of Azerbaijan and Armenia who were among the hundred or so participants in the event, and who in their interventions also referred to current work being done and of the need for confidence building measures, although there were different views as to what measures should be prioritised.

The panellists also referred top recent events including the Vilnius summit, events in Ukraine and the recent meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

source: commonspace.eu

photo: Gunnar Wiegan, Director for Europe at the European External Action Service speaking during the first panel of the event held in Brussels on 17 December. Other panellists included Claus Newkirch from the OSCE Conflict Management Centre, Sergei Markedonov, an independent Russian analyst and Dennis Sammut (LINKS and EPC) who chaired the event. (picture courtesy of the EPC).

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Pope on Christmas Day: "Peace is a shared responsibility"
Trending

Pope on Christmas Day: "Peace is a shared responsibility"

26 December 2025
In his Christmas address on St Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV renewed his plea for peace, reminding the world that it is both God’s gift and humanity’s shared responsibility. Pope Leo XIV renewed his appeal for peace, dialogue, and responsibility, turning to those regions where violence and instability continue to claim innocent lives. The Pope prayed for “justice, peace, and stability for Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Syria,” and urged that the promise of peace rooted in righteousness be renewed. He appealed in a particular way for Ukraine, asking that “the clamor of weapons cease,” and that all those involved, with the support of the international community, find the courage to engage in “sincere, direct, and respectful dialogue.” Remembering conflicts that risk being forgotten, Pope Leo XIV expressed closeness to the victims of war and violence in Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as to all those who suffer as a result of injustice, political instability, religious persecution, and terrorism. The Pope also prayed for Haiti, calling for an end to violence and progress along the path of peace and reconciliation. He also invoked peace for Myanmar, asking that the country be guided towards reconciliation and hope, especially for its younger generations. Turning to Latin America, he encouraged those with political responsibilities to give space to dialogue for the common good, rather than to ideological and partisan divisions. The Pope also prayed for the restoration of the "ancient friendship" between Thailand and Cambodia, and entrusted to God the peoples of South Asia and Oceania, who have been severely affected by recent natural disasters, calling for renewed commitment to assisting those who suffer.

Popular

Editor's choice
News
Pope on Christmas Day: "Peace is a shared responsibility"
Trending

Pope on Christmas Day: "Peace is a shared responsibility"

26 December 2025
In his Christmas address on St Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV renewed his plea for peace, reminding the world that it is both God’s gift and humanity’s shared responsibility. Pope Leo XIV renewed his appeal for peace, dialogue, and responsibility, turning to those regions where violence and instability continue to claim innocent lives. The Pope prayed for “justice, peace, and stability for Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Syria,” and urged that the promise of peace rooted in righteousness be renewed. He appealed in a particular way for Ukraine, asking that “the clamor of weapons cease,” and that all those involved, with the support of the international community, find the courage to engage in “sincere, direct, and respectful dialogue.” Remembering conflicts that risk being forgotten, Pope Leo XIV expressed closeness to the victims of war and violence in Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as to all those who suffer as a result of injustice, political instability, religious persecution, and terrorism. The Pope also prayed for Haiti, calling for an end to violence and progress along the path of peace and reconciliation. He also invoked peace for Myanmar, asking that the country be guided towards reconciliation and hope, especially for its younger generations. Turning to Latin America, he encouraged those with political responsibilities to give space to dialogue for the common good, rather than to ideological and partisan divisions. The Pope also prayed for the restoration of the "ancient friendship" between Thailand and Cambodia, and entrusted to God the peoples of South Asia and Oceania, who have been severely affected by recent natural disasters, calling for renewed commitment to assisting those who suffer.