News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
Military, civilian experts from OSCE states to stay in Ukraine until 20 March
Publishing date: 17 March 2014
On 16 March 2014, Ukraine requested another continuation of the visit by unarmed military and civilian personnel from OSCE participating States. The visit is to cover the south and east of the country and will last until 20 March...
Chairperson-in-Office calls on all sides to commit to resolving the situation regarding Ukraine through dialogue, with peaceful means and with respect of international law
Publishing date: 16 March 2014
BERN, March 16, 2014 – In the light of the unlawful referendum on the status of Crimea, Swiss Foreign Minister and Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE, Didier Burkhalter, discussed over the weekend, at the highest political levels, the situation regarding Ukraine and possible solutions.
Press Release by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
Publishing date: 12 March 2014
MOSCOW, 12 March 2014- The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Jacques Faure of France, and James Warlick of the United States of America) conducted a series of meetings from February 22 to March 11 in Paris and Moscow with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, and Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov. Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, also participated in the meetings...
Swiss OSCE Chair and Russian President discuss ways out of crisis regarding Ukraine
Publishing date: 12 March 2014
BERN, March 12 2014- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, discussed the situation regarding Ukraine in a phone conversation with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, this afternoon. They talked about possible ways to overcome the current crisis...
Toxic rocket fuel component now fully removed from Ukraine with OSCE support
Publishing date: 11 March 2014
A train carrying 490 tonnes of mélange, a toxic rocket fuel component, known as “Melange”, which was being stored in deteriorating containers in Ukraine, safely arrived today at a disposal facility in Russia, marking the successful completion of the removal operation of a project implemented by the OSCE, Ukraine and a Russian contractor.
Ukraine requests continuation of visit by unarmed personnel
Publishing date: 11 March 2014
*** UPDATE as of 13 March, 08:00- Twenty-seven OSCE participating State responded positively to the second request of Ukraine and are sending their personnel: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Porgutal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA. The total number of personnel is 50 people.*** VIENNA, 11 March 2014, 12:00- A continuation of the visit by unarmed personnel has been requested by Ukraine, this time to cover the south and east of the country...
Regional organizations, co-operation, women are crucial for effective mediation, says OSCE Secretary General
Publishing date: 11 March 2014
Effective co-operation between regional players and international organizations and the adequate representation and participation of women are crucial for effective mediation, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier told a meeting of the Initiative on Mediation in the Mediterranean Region in Brdo, Slovenia, on 11 March 2014...