As part of Malta’s contribution towards the Organisation for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Armed Forces of Malta on a regular basis deploys Officers as guest Evaluators/ Inspectors with Arms Control Agencies of other European countries under the Vienna Document 2011. The AFM is also bound to provide Officers to escort Evaluation / Inspection teams when such activities are conducted by other participating States on Malta.
The Vienna Document 2011 (VD11) is composed of politically binding confidence and security-building measures (CSBMs) designed to increase openness and transparency concerning military activities conducted inside the OSCE’s zone of application (ZOA), which includes the territory, surrounding sea areas, and air space of all European (Russia from the western border to the Ural Mountains) and Central Asian participating States. Various activities such as information exchanges, on-site inspections, evaluation visits, observation visits, and other military-to-military contacts take place according to VD11 provisions. In the case of the United States (and Canada), only military forces and activities inside the ZOA are impacted. The aim of the VD 2011 is to enhance Confidence and Security-Building Measures and Disarmament in Europe, through the use of various tools such as the annual exchange of military information, defence planning and risk reduction measures.
The OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organization with 57 States from Europe, Central Asia and North America. It offers a forum for political negotiations and decision-making in the fields of early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation, and puts the political will of its participating States into practice through its unique network of field missions. The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.
