OSCE Permanent Council adopts declaration condemning the deadly terrorist attack against the Russian Ambassador to Turkey

VIENNA, 20 December 2016 – Today, the OSCE participating States convened in a special session of the Permanent Council in Vienna  and adopted by consensus a declaration on the deadly terrorist attack against the Russian Ambassador to Turkey that was perpetrated in Ankara on 19 December.

The 57 participating States condemned the assassination of the diplomat and expressed their heartfelt condolences to his family  and to the people and government of the Russian Federation.

Shortly after the attack yesterday, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and the Secretary General, Lamberto Zannier, expressed their shock and condemnation of the terrorist act in a joint press release.

During the special session of the Permanent Council today, delegations  also expressed their solidarity with the victims and families as well as with the people and government of Germany following the attack on a Berlin Christmas market on 19 December that caused the death of 12 persons and left many more injured.

Two weeks ago, at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg on 8 and 9 December 2016, the Foreign Ministers of all OSCE participating States agreed on a Declaration on Strengthening OSCE Efforts to Prevent and Counter Terrorism.