The Polish foreign ministry said in a statement that Zbigniew Rau, in his role as Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), on Tuesday "inaugurated Poland’s Renewed European Security Dialogue initiative" during a conference in Vienna.
The statement added that the launch of the initiative "along with U.S.-Russia bilateral talks and dialogue at the NATO-Russia Council, marks an important step intended to defuse the currently tense security situation and work out ways to prevent similar ones in the future."
Rau proposed "reflection on the interpretation of three fundamental principles for peace and security in Europe - the principles of comprehensive security, indivisible security and peaceful coexistence," according to the Polish foreign ministry.
He also proposed that "the OSCE dialogue should cover such themes as military confidence building measures, conflict prevention and resolution, and non-military security aspects."
Rau is set to visit Ukraine on Wednesday in his OSCE role.
Later this month, Rau is due to visit Russia for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops around Ukraine in recent weeks, according to media reports, raising fears in the West that Moscow may be preparing for a new invasion of the country.
Rau said last month that the risk of war in Europe was now greater than ever before in the last 30 years.
He made that statement as he outlined Poland's priorities for its turn at the helm of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe this year.
(gs)
Source: gov.pl, PAP