Foreign ministers from 56 OSCE participating states pledged their commitment on Wednesday to dealing with new security challenges through dialogue and cooperation in the Euro-Atlantic and Euroasian area. In a declaration adopted at the end of the 17th annual Ministerial Meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), all member states agreed to further the so-called Corfu Process, named after the Greek island of Corfu, where the process was launched by the current Chairmanship Greece during an informal OSCE ministerial meeting in June. The process is aimed at promoting dialogue and cooperation when addressing security issues. 'The vision of a free, democratic and more integrated OSCE area, from Vancouver to Vladivostok, free of dividing lines and zones with different levels of security remains a common goal, which we are determined to reach,' declared the political document, the first of its kind adopted within the OSCE framework since 2002. 'Our highest priority remains to re-establish our trust and confidence, as well as to recapture the sense of common purpose that brought together our predecessors in Helsinki almost 35 years ago,' the statement said. In the declaration, the ministers said they were concerned ' that the use of force has not ceased to be considered as an option in settling disputes; that the danger of conflicts between states has not been eliminated, and armed conflicts have occurred even in the last decades.' It welcomed Kazakhstan's 2010 OSCE Chairmanship and noted with interest the country's proposal to hold an OSCE summit in 2010. Pledging to do anything possible next year on behalf of his country, Kazakhstan's Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Kanat Saudabayev underscored Astana's proposal to host an OSCE summit next year, the first since the Istanbul summit in 1999. Russia unveiled a draft for a new European security treaty on Nov. 29, two days before the OSCE ministerial meeting, in a bid to gain support from other countries. However, it was not mentioned in the formal document of the OSCE meeting. Greek Prime Minister and Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who is the current Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, explained that the draft could be evaluated within the framework of Corfu Process. He added that the OSCE welcomed the draft, which is 'very useful for Corfu Process.' A Ministerial Decision announced at the two-day event on the Corfu Process outlines the agenda, mentioning the need of focusing dialogue on conflict resolution, arms control, transnational threats, economic and environmental challenges. The Athens meeting also decided that Lithuania will hold the Organization's Chairmanship in 2011, and Ireland will take over in 2012. The OSCE also welcomed Australia as its 12th Partner for Cooperation, joining other Asian and Mediterranean countries including Japan, Thailand, Afghanistan and Israel. 