| 3 December 2008 On December 4-5, Helsinki will host the 16th OSCE Ministerial Council. A Belarusian delegation led by Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov will take part in the forum. A number of statements of the OSCE Ministerial Council regarding the border security, fight against terrorism, human trafficking and discrimination are expected to be discussed and adopted within the framework of forum’s sessions. During the plenary session, Sergei Martynov will make report on Belarus’ approaches to the OSCE activity and Belarus’ position towards the key issues of the European security. Bilateral meetings of the head of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry and the OSCE leadership, high-ranking representatives of other European structures, the foreign ministers of the OSCE participating States are supposed to be held. Belarus became a member of the OSCE on January 30, 1992. The Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE. Convened in years when there is no OSCE Summit, it allows the Foreign Ministers of OSCE participating States to review and assess the activities of the Organization.
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