primary organization for the peaceful settlement of disputes within its region, is a key instrument for early warning, conflict prevention and resolution, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation”, the participating States, in the 2011 Vilnius Ministerial Council Decision No. 3/11 on Elements of the Conflict Cycle, Related to Enhancing the OSCE’s Capabilities in Early Warning, Early Action, Dialogue Facilitation and Mediation Support, and Post-Conflict Rehabilitation, reiterated “[…] that the OSCE’s ability to deploy civilian, police or unarmed military expertise rapidly is essential to effective conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation”, and expressed their expectation for “[…] the OSCE Chairmanship and the executive structures to take full advantage of their respective mandates to address all phases of the conflict cycle” and while urging the Chairmanship and participating States to use, swiftly and to the greatest extent possible, all available tools and procedures as applicable to a particular crisis or conflict situation […].” “Reiterating the determination expressed by Heads of State or Government of the OSCE participating States in the 2010 Astana Commemorative Declaration: Towards a Security Community to achieve greater unity of purpose and action in facing emerging transnational threats, such as terrorism, organized crime, illegal migration, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, cyber threats and the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, drugs and human beings”, the Vilnius Ministerial Council, in Decision No. 9/11 on Strengthening Co-ordination and Coherence in the OSCE’s Efforts to Address Transnational Threats welcomed “the proposals by the Secretary General included in the 2012 Unified Budget Proposal for the creation of a department to address transnational threats, consistent with the OSCE’s mandates and within available resources, with a view to ensuring better co-ordination, strengthened coherence and more efficient use of the OSCE’s resources in addressing transnational threats […].” To further strengthen the OSCE’s efforts to address transnational threats, the Dublin Ministerial Council adopted Decision No. 4/12 in December 2012. This so called ‘chapeau’ decision endorses four decisions which had been adopted in 2012 by the Permanent Council on the Development of confidence-building measures to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies (PC Decision No. 1039), the OSCE Concept for Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs and the Diversion of Chemical Precursors (PC Decision No. 1048), the OSCE Strategic Framework for Police-Related Activities (PC Decision No. 1049) and finally, the OSCE Consolidated Framework for the Fight against Terrorism (PC Decision No. 1063). 138 In the PC Decision No. 1039 on the Development of Confidence-Building Measures to Reduce the Risks of Conflict Stemming from the Use of Information and Communication Technologies, the Permanent Council “decides to step up individual and collective efforts to address security in the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in a comprehensive and cross-dimensional manner in accordance with OSCE commitments and in co-operation with relevant international organizations. The PC further tasks the OSCE Chairmanship to establish an open-ended, informal OSCE working group under the auspices of the Security Committee to elaborate a set of draft confidence-building measures (CBMs) to enhance interstate co-operation, transparency, predictability, and stability, and to reduce the risks of misperception, escalation, and conflict that may stem from the use of ICT; and to help build consensus for the adoption of such a set of CBMs in 2012”. The OSCE Concept for Combatting the Threat of Illicit Drugs and the Diversion of Chemical Precursors (PC Decision No. 1048) identifies areas and activities for a short-, mediumand long-term engagement in combating the threat of illicit drugs and the diversion of chemical precursors that requires sustained efforts, and establishes a political framework for comprehensive action by the OSCE participating States and the OSCE executive structures to combat this threat. The Concept stresses the participating States’ commitments to support the implementation of the respective international obligations in this area, with a particular focus on the related United Nations Conventions and decisions. It also sets principles and major objectives of co-operation, and provides a platform for OSCE’s co-operation with international organizations and partners in recognition of the important role played by civil society, including the media and non-governmental organizations, in addressing drug-related crimes, as well as preventive measures aimed at reducing drug abuse and dependence, and drug-related harm to health and society, especially to children and young people. According to the Concept, the participating States’ co-operation will include, inter alia, the exchange of best practices and scientific evidence-based information on combating the threat of illicit drugs; as well as the facilitation and promotion of cross-border interaction between relevant criminal justice agencies and other competent national structures of the participating States in the prevention, identification, suppression, detection and investigation of drug-related crimes, and the apprehension and extradition of criminals in accordance with existing legal frameworks. The OSCE Strategic Framework for Police-Related Activities defines the Organization’s priorities in this area, such as police development and reform and the fight against organized transnational crime, including trafficking in illicit