Astrid Thors nominated as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities | national

Thu, 18 Jul, 2013 03:38:18 AM

Astrid Thors nominated as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities

FTimes Report, July 18

Astrid Thors, Member of Parliament, at the press conference in Pori, Finland, 17 July 2013. Thors has been appointed as the European Security and Cooperation in Europe OSCE Minorities three years. Photo - Lehtikuva.

Lawmaker Astrid Thors has been nominated as the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, said a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

The Ministerial Council of the 57 OSCE participating states nominated the new High Commissioner for a three-year term.

The High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) is an instrument of conflict prevention.

The HCNM aims to prevent and de-escalate tensions involving national minority issues in the OSCE area.

The High Commissioner's work is characterized by quiet diplomacy and support to the cooperation between different parties.

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (left) and Astrid Thors, MP at the press conference in Pori, Finland, 17 July 2013. Thors has been appointed as the European Security and Cooperation in Europe OSCE Minorities three years. Photo - Lehtikuva.

The goal is to address tensions at the earliest possible stage.

Astrid Thors has a strong international background on minority issues as well as on the development of immigration and refugee policies at the national and at the EU level.

Ms Thors has been a Member of the Parliament of Finland since 2004. From 2007 to 2011, she served as the Minister of Migration and European Affairs of Finland. Between 1996 and 2004, she was a Member of the European Parliament.

Finland Times