OSCE supports conference on the nature of modern military conflicts and their prevention

The first international scientific and practical conference on The Present Day Military Conflicts: Content and Lessons Learned took place on 15 and 16 October 2019 in Tashkent. The event was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in co-operation with the Academy of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan.

More than 200 participants from the UN, OSCE, NATO, UNICEF, the CiS countries, the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies under the National Defence University of the USA, attended the conference.

Also in attendance were experts from higher military educational institutions of Azerbaijan, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the USA, Tajikistan and Turkey.

The main purpose of the conference was to discuss the causes and nature of modern military conflicts, and exchange experiences on measures for their effective prevention and escalation.

The participants exchanged views on the characteristics of modern and future wars and discussed the situation in Afghanistan, the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula.

John McGregor, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, said that: “The OSCE provides a platform for dialogue on politico–military issues. The OSCE’s Code of Conduct on Politico–Military Aspects of Security is a key document in this regard and sets out basic norms for the democratic control of armed and security forces, as well as ensuring human rights and fundamental freedoms for armed forces personnel.”