"Russia does not want the OSCE to die out," Sergei Lavrov told a meeting of foreign ministers of the 26-nation intergovernmental security body in the Finnish capital.
Earlier on Friday, Lavrov strongly criticized the OSCE for its failure to take action when its observers warned of a likely Georgian attack on South Ossetia in August. Georgia's August 8 attack inflicted large civilian casualties and led to a war with Russia.
Lavrov accused the OSCE of failure to "react to the illegal use of force", and demanded an official enquiry. He said the failure of the organization to protect lives demonstrates the need for a pan-European security treaty.
Since the OSCE began its two-day session in Helsinki on Thursday, reform plans have been a major focus of discussions, along with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's initiative to develop a European security treaty.
"The creation of a European security treaty is of great significance, both the organization, and for states in Europe and beyond," Lavrov said, adding that Russia is continuing work to draft the document.
Medvedev put forward his proposals for a European security pact in June, and suggested the idea could be discussed at a European summit.
Daniel Fried, assistant U.S. secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, said Friday that plans to hold an OSCE summit on the Russian proposals were premature, but that discussions should be held at a lower level.
