OSCE agrees framework for European security

The foreign ministers of the fifty-four countries in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe have agreed on a common approach towards establishing a European Security Charter at their meeting in Copenhagen.

The guidelines envisage a strengthened role for the OSCE in preventing conflict and supervising elections.

They also try to define how the OSCE can coordinate better with other organisations such as NATO.

The BBC Diplomatic correspondent says Russia has failed in its attempt to secure a superior role for the OSCE over NATO, but has succeeded in pushing through the principle that decisions will be taken by consensus.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service