News and press releases

TALDYKORGAN, Kazakhstan, 6 April 2016 – An OSCE-supported two-day training seminar for some 130 representatives of the government, civil society and judiciary on human rights protection mechanisms began today in Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan...

The SMM observed a higher number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region, noting an increase in the area of Yasynuvata and around Donetsk airport, compared to the previous day. In Luhansk region the situation remained relatively calm, with a low number of ceasefire violations recorded. The Mission continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons, facilitate and monitor repair works, and monitor the situation affecting civilians on both sides of the contact line. The Mission encountered freedom of movement restrictions mainly in areas not controlled by the Government.* In Odessa the SMM observed a public gathering...

VIENNA, 5 April 2016- At a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, Ambassador James Warlick, representing the three Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group, and the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, informed the 57 OSCE participating States about recent developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

VIENNA, 5 April 2016- Representatives of the OSCE Minsk Group countries (Russian Federation, the United States of America, France, Belarus, Finland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Turkey) as well as the incoming Austrian OSCE Chair (2017) and the outgoing Serbian OSCE Chair (2015) strongly condemn the outbreak of unprecedented levels of violence along the Line of Contact...

The SMM observed a lower number of ceasefire violations on 2 and 3 April respectively compared to 1 April, with similar levels recorded on both days in Donetsk region, but an increase was noted on 3 April in the area of Yasynuvata. In Luhansk region the SMM recorded no ceasefire violations. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling. The SMM visited border areas not controlled by the Government. The Mission encountered freedom of movement restrictions in areas not controlled by the Government, including in border areas.*...

The SMM continued to observe a high number of ceasefire violations in Donetsk region. In Luhansk region the SMM recorded a higher number of ceasefire violations than the previous day. The SMM followed up on reports of shelling. It facilitated the safe passage of civilians between Ukrainian Armed Forces and “LPR” checkpoints in Luhansk region. The Mission encountered freedom of movement restrictions in areas not controlled by the Government, including in border areas*...

BERLIN, 2 April- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is actively involved in the efforts to de-escalate the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He is extremely concerned about the situation, as the ceasefire violations seem to have reached a new quality compared to previous years...