Foreign ministers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) met in the German city of Hamburg on Thursday to discuss security issues including conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

In his opening speech, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that a strong OSCE is needed now more than ever for a secure Europe, adding that the OSCE is a platform for dialogue between the East and the West.

2016 is a stormy year when structures of dialogue and cooperation are needed, he told the participants.

A cease-fire in Ukraine requires political will, said Steinmeier, noting that all sides must proceed toward the goal by faithfully implementing the various agreements reached in Minsk.

The OSCE Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE. The annual council meeting provides the foreign ministers of the 57 OSCE participating states an opportunity to review and assess the organization's activities and strengthen the dialogue on security issues in the OSCE area.

source: Xinhua