An official statement at the end of the two-day ministerial council in Finland of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said that the organisation had been "revitalized" by the "spirit of Helsinki" and quoted the Finnish prime minister as saying that the meeting had been constructive and substantive - and yet the summit ended with no agreement on a joint final declaration.

Notably divisive issues were Georgia, where the OSCE's failure to play a meaningful role in preventing or resolving the August 2008 conflict between Russia and Georgia over south Ossetia has called into question the OSCE's effectiveness, as well as the proposal pushed by France and Russia for a new "European Security Structure", a proposal vehemently opposed by the United States.

The official OSCE media statement on December 5 2008 quoted Finnish foreign minister Alexander Stubb as saying that the meeting of OSCE foreign ministers had "given new impetus to discussions on European security challenges".

The two-day meeting, which was attended by a record 50 foreign ministers from the OSCE's 56 participating states, concluded with the 2009 Greek Chairmanship indicating willingness to convene a high-level meeting to continue the talks on European security that took place in at the Helsinki summit.

In the closing address, Finnish prime minister Matti Vanhanen said that the meeting had been "constructive and substantive".

"During these two days the ministers have had the unique opportunity to share views and exchange ideas on security challenges and possible next steps. From our point of view the OSCE is a natural forum to discuss European security issues, also at the high level if needed," he said.

Stubb called the meeting a success, although the ministers did not agree a joint political declaration. "I'm a little bit disappointed that we didn't get a political declaration. I think we had a window of opportunity to do it - we missed it. But at least we were able to sort a few of the key issues," he said.

The Associated Press reported that Finland had pushed for a statement that supported the group's role in monitoring a cease-fire between Russia and Georgia. The statement also would have called for strengthening the OSCE presence in areas affected by the countries' August war.

The OSCE statement said that 13 decisions were taken by the OSCE ministers, including agreement on a ministerial statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. They welcomed the "constructive and positive momentum in the peace process for the political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict", and encouraged the sides to intensify negotiations.

The foreign ministers also agreed to enhance OSCE efforts to improve the situation of Roma and Sinti, and to combat trafficking in human beings. Other decisions concerned, among other issues, small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition, and countering terrorism.

The Greek 2009 OSCE Chairmanship was tasked with pursuing dialogue on strengthening the legal framework of the OSCE. Marking the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the declaration.

The Chairman-in-Office referred to the foreign ministers' discussion on the future of European security that took place yesterday as a high point of the meeting: "It was refreshing, it was frank, it was open, and it was analytical, and that in and of itself to me is part of the spirit of Helsinki."

Greek foreign minister and 2009 OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Dora Bakoyannis emphasised the Greek Chairmanship's commitment to continuing the talks.

"The discussions we have started in Helsinki should be taken forward. As the incoming Chairmanship, Greece stands ready to take forward proposals to continue our high-level dialogue on Euro-Atlantic security, perhaps through the convening of a special meeting to deepen the debate and clarify the questions that remain," she said.

One of the most vexed issues was that of getting OSCE monitors into south Ossetia.

According to a US state department transcript, US assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia said on December 5: "We don't know what's going on. And Russia has an obligation, since it controls these territories, to let in international observers. The purpose is to restore confidence and stability. We don't need more violence. We don't need a cycle of retaliations, tension, threats. That can end in a new catastrophe."

"It is important to get the OSCE observers into South Ossetia. There is no legitimate reason to keep them out. But at the same time the EU monitoring mission in Georgia which is larger, which has proven its effectiveness south of the administrative line, also needs to be able to operate north of the administrative line. There is no reason to keep them out either," Fried said.

"Despite these disagreements, we want to work with Russia in a constructive and practical spirit to increase security. And that can happen really only if there are more monitors both OSCE and EU allowed in under rules and conditions that everyone understands."

Fried told a December 5 news conference that the institutions for European security like Nato, the European Union and the OSCE "work well," there is no need to change. Fried said the enlargement of Nato and the EU was helpful to the stability in central and Eastern Europe, which was "good thing" to Russia.

"No one is threatening Russia, we want partnership with Russia," Fried said.

Fried rejected any idea of holding a summit on the European security structure proposal in the near future.

However, Russian news agency Interfax reported that OSCE foreign ministers may meet in the first half of 2009 to discuss the proposed pan- European security treaty.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists on December 5: "Dora Bakoyannis, foreign minister of Greece, which is to chair the OSCE next year, has proposed holding a special unofficial session of the Foreign Ministers' Council in the first half of next year to debate Russia's initiatives".