News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
UN refugee agency Head Guterres urges States to support displaced people
Publishing date: 20 February 2014
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) António Guterres called on OSCE participating States on 20 February 2014 to provide massive international support to share the burden of the crisis in Syria...
OSCE Chair welcomes handover of Kyiv City State Administration Building as another positive step in defusing tensions
Publishing date: 16 February 2014
BERN, 16 February 2014- Didier Burkhalter, Swiss Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, today welcomed the move by opposition protesters to vacate the Kyiv City State Administration Building as another positive development towards de-escalating tensions in Ukraine...
OSCE Mission to BiH’s Head urges authorities to listen to legitimate demands for reforms, encourages constructive dialogue
Publishing date: 11 February 2014
SARAJEVO, 11 February 2014- The protests of the past few days in Sarajevo, Tuzla, Mostar and other cities across Bosnia and Herzegovina have highlighted serious economic, social and political difficulties in the country, the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, Ambassador Fletcher M. Burton, said today...
OSCE Chair discusses crisis in Ukraine with President Yanukovych
Publishing date: 7 February 2014
SOCHI, February 7, 2014 – Didier Burkhalter, Swiss Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, discussed with Viktor Yanukovych, President of Ukraine, the situation in the country and confirmed the readiness of the OSCE to assist Ukraine in the settlement of the crisis.
Situation in Ukraine among topics as OSCE Chair visits ODIHR in Warsaw
Publishing date: 27 January 2014
WARSAW, 27 January 2014 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, today met the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, to discuss the situation surrounding anti-government protests in Ukraine, the need for greater efforts to protect human rights defenders, and the Swiss Chairmanship’s priorities in the areas of human rights, democracy and the rule of law...
Swiss OSCE Chairperson-in-Office expresses “concern” over Ukraine
Publishing date: 17 January 2014
VIENNA, 17 January 2014- Didier Burkhalter, Swiss Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, has expressed concern at recent legal measures taken in Ukraine which contain provisions which recriminalize libel and could impose serious restrictions on fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and freedom of assembly...
OSCE human rights chief again urges United States to close Guantanamo Detention Facility
Publishing date: 10 January 2014
WARSAW, 10 January 2014 – Ahead of tomorrow’s 12th anniversary of the arrival of the first detainees to the Guantanamo Detention Facility, Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), again urged the United States to close the facility.