OSCE Chairperson-in-office Alfano and Secretary-General Greminger welcome Korea peace deal

Rome/Vienna, 27 April 2018 - OSCE Chairperson-in-office and Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano and OSCE Seretary General Thomas Greminger welcomedtoday the announcement of a peace treaty to be signed by the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea before the end of the year and the commitment of the two states to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

"I welcome the meeting between the two Korean leaders today. It represents a significant step forward.  I hope that its outcome will contribute positively to the easing of tensions in the region", said Chairperson-in-Office Alfano.

Alfano stressed that the objective of the international community remains the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. “South Korea is an active OSCE partner for Co-operation in Asia," concluded Alfano.

OSCE Secretary-General Greminger said: "I cannot but welcome the historic step towards lasting peace and security taken by the Republic of Korea, an active and engaged OSCE Partner for co-operation."

"Although the Korean peninsula is not part of the OSCE region per se, in today's globalized and interconnected world, no state can or should remain isolated.  The security of one geographic region has an impact not only on its neighbours but on the security of the rest of the world as well", stressed Greminger.  I hope that this development will have positive effects on our global security and will inspire other states in conflict to boldly walk the road to peace", concluded the Secretary General.