European security focus of summit on Corfu

CORFU, Greece, June 27 (UPI) -- Russia is to propose a new security policy for Europe at this weekend's meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, sources said.

The two-day summit on Corfu of the 56 member nations of the OSCE, an ad hoc group of the United Nations, marks the first meeting between NATO and Kremlin diplomats since Russia and Georgia clashed nearly a year ago over territorial rights in South Ossetia.

The summit, which began Saturday, is to consider a new framework for European security, with Russia represented by top Kremlin diplomat Sergey Lavrov, Kathimerini reported.

The United States was being represented by Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg, sitting in for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is recovering from elbow surgery.

The OSCE was created in 1975 as the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. The group is concerned with conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation.