Backgrounder: OSCE -- world's largest regional security organization

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Council convened its 23rd annual meeting here on Thursday. The following is some background information about OSCE.

The OSCE, comprising 57 participating States, and 11 partners for co-operation, is the largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization in the world. Its 57 participating states are located in Europe, northern and central Asia and North America and cover much of the land area of the northern hemisphere.

It works in conflict prevention, crisis management, and post-conflict rehabilitation with a variety of mandates ranging from security issues such as arms control, border management, conflict prevention and resolution to economic and social issues as well.

The OSCE traces its origins to the early 1970s, when the first meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) took place in Helsinki on July 3-7, 1973.

Two years later, in August 1975, the so-called Helsinki Process culminated in the first CSCE Summit of Heads of State and Government, which adopted the Helsinki Final Act. The CSCE was renamed as OSCE in a design to serve as an East-West forum during the Cold War.

The OSCE is operated on a consensus-building process. All 57 participating states enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

The Ministerial Council is composed of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the OSCE participating states and is the central decision-making and governing body of the organization. Summit meetings at the level of heads of state or government are the highest decision-making body of the OSCE.

Ministerial meetings, as a rule, are convened once a year in the country holding the chairmanship. Additional meetings, including informal meetings may be called at any time. Endit