Statement by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN,

Madam President,

I welcome the Chairperson-in-office of the OSCE, the Foreign Minister of Finland, H.E Ms. Elina Valtonen to this meeting, and thank her for her briefing.

Pakistan recognizes OSCE’s historic legacy, and the valuable work that this organization has undertaken for the advancement of peace and security, maintenance of stability, and promotion of good unneighborly relations among its members in the Eurasian region.

Forged in the spirit of the Helsinki Final Act, the OSCE established an indispensable framework for fostering dialogue, promoting confidence-building, and advancing peaceful dispute resolution in the post-war era – an era marred by an acute trust and security deficit. We note with appreciation OSCE’s peacebuilding efforts, including in Eastern European countries, thus bringing stability to the region. OSCE’s pioneering work in the field of CBMs also served as a blueprint for similar efforts undertaken by other regional organizations.

Madam President,

Today, the foundational ethos of international relations, multilateralism, cooperation and indivisible security, as envisaged in the preamble of Helsinki Final Act, is perhaps facing its biggest challenge in decades. The OSCE, too, is navigating a difficult geopolitical landscape, with conflict raging in the heart of Europe for nearly 4 years, depletion of trust and unprecedented strains on peaceful co-existence.

We are cognizant of the dramatic shift in realities and power dynamics that exist today. However, my delegation is of the view that it is precisely in these times that we must rekindle the spirit of Helsinki, avoid confrontation, invest more in dialogue and diplomacy, and renew our unwavering commitment to crafting mutually agreed Confidence and Security-Building Measures. This is not a matter of choice but a strategic imperative to lower tensions, rebuild essential channels of communication, and demonstrate that comprehensive security is best preserved through cooperative instruments, and not by the pursuit of hegemony and domination through military means. Objective, inclusive impartial, and principle-based approaches are indispensable for success.

Madam President,

Effective partnership also goes beyond coordination; it is about leveraging complementary strengths for conflict prevention, transnational threat response, and post-conflict stabilization, always grounded in the UN Charter’s core principles.

President,

Our principled approach on matters related to cooperation between the UN and regional organizations is informed by the value that we believe these organizations bring to work of the UN, including in the maintenance of peace and security. To that end, we support OSCE’s cooperation with the UN, consistent with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. We believe that the United Nations, regional organizations and all member states must prioritize and invest more in conflict prevention and pacific settlement of disputes as reaffirmed by the Council in resolution 2788.

Madam President,

The path forward demands a conscious choice. Choosing cooperation over confrontation, dialogue over division, and inclusive security over bloc-based divides. Pakistan hopes that the OSCE will continue to champion this choice, and that this Council will support such a partnership – that reaffirms our shared commitment to a stable and just global order, underpinned by international law and an unwavering commitment to multilateralism with the UN at its core.

I thank you.