At high-level OSCE Security Days event in Vienna diplomats and experts discuss ways to increase military predictability and new conventional arms control initiative

Reviving military confidence-building, risk reduction and arms control in the OSCE region was the topic of strategic discussions among high-level diplomats and experts including key representatives of NATO and the Russian Federation at an OSCE Security Days event hosted by OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier in Vienna on 3 October 2016. 

During the open and forward-looking debate held under Chatham House rules, participants sought ways to reverse the deterioration of the European security landscape.  They discussed measures to address the danger of military incidents as well and considered a proposal to re-launch the dialogue on conventional arms control, adapted to the current security context and aimed at re-establishing restraint, predictability and trust.  In his opening remarks, Secretary General Zannier stressed that while such efforts are particularly challenging in times of crisis and confrontational relations, that is precisely when they are most needed.

Participants agreed that in light of continuing mistrust and fundamentally divergent views on European security, there is a need for measures to reduce the risk posed by close military encounters and unforeseen incidents that could trigger a direct military confrontation. Such measures could include modernized provisions of the Vienna Document, the OSCE’s main set of military confidence- and security-building measures, and  enhanced bilateral agreements.  

Participants also discussed strengthening multilateral crisis response and risk reduction in the politico-military dimension, including verification and inspection mechanisms and their role in lowering the level of distrust among states.

“I commend the brainstorming spirit of today’s discussions,” Zannier said in his concluding remarks. “There must be a possibility for us to engage and find a way to communicate with each other and to try to chart the way forward despite a very different understanding and a very different perception of what has happened.”

OSCE Security Days, launched in 2012, are a unique platform for enhancing the security dialogue by stimulating informal, interactive and forward-looking debate among prominent experts from international organizations, governments, think tanks, academia, civil society, youth and the media.