Secretariat

OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut (r) welcomes Mongolian Prime Minister Batbold Sukhbaatar to the Hofburg, Vienna, 9 March 2010. Mongolia is one of the OSCE's partners for co-operation. (OSCE/Sarah Crozier)

Precinct commission members sort ballots after the closing of a polling station in Rudaki region during Tajikistan's 28 February 2010 parliamentary elections. (OSCE/Oksana Polyuga)

Stephen Smith, Foreign Minister of Australia, the OSCE's newest partner for co-operation, during a visit to the Hofburg, Vienna, 17 February 2010. (OSCE/Sarah Crozier)

Ukrainian armed forces personnel remove the last melange from the Kalynivka storage site in the Vinnytsya region of Ukraine, 24 January 2010. (OSCE/Leonid Kalashnyk)

Ballots are counted at a polling station in Ivankiv in the first round of the presidential election in Ukraine, 17 January 2010. (Udo Bartsch)

Igor Lomov's "Twin souls", which won first prize in a photo competition organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat to celebrate its tenth anniversary. (Igor Lomov)

The closing session under way at the 17th OSCE Ministerial Council, Athens, 2 December 2009. (OSCE/George Kontarinis)

Greek Prime Minister and OSCE Chairman-in-Office George Papandreou shakes hands with Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev at the final press conference of the 17th OSCE Ministerial Council in Athens, 2 December 2009. (OSCE/George Kontarinis)

OSCE and Greek flags in the plenary hall prior to the 17th OSCE Ministerial Council in Athens, 30 November 2009. (OSCE/Graham Patterson)

Journalism students take part in an exercise during a media training course organized by the OSCE Centre in at the the Institute for International Relations, Ashgabat, 12 November 2009. (OSCE)

The 2009 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting took place at the Sofitel Hotel, Warsaw, 28 September - 9 October 2009. (OSCE/Piotr Markowski)

A view of the fort of Corfu. The Greek island was the location of the informal meeting of OSCE foreign ministers on 27-28 June 2009. (OSCE/George Kontarinis)

Photographers during the World Press Photo workshop supported by the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Belgrade, 17 May 2009 (OSCE/Milan Obradovic)

Kyrgyz police explain their work to citizens of all ages at a workshop aimed at strengthening partnerships organized by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, 20 January 2009. (OSCE/Ruslan Izmaylov)

Cadets celebrate their graduation at the Police Training Centre in Sremska Kamenica, Serbia, 15 December 2008. The OSCE works closely with the Serbian Interior Ministry on bringing policing in line with European standards. (OSCE/Milan Obradovic)

Vehicles of the OSCE Mission to Georgia head to the airport in Tbilisi, 22 August 2008. (OSCE/German Avagyan)

Children learn about police work at Police Open Day in Shirvan, an event supported by the OSCE Office in Baku, 30 June 2008. (OSCE/Elgun Taghiyev)

Making local wine, in Georgia's Kakheti region, October 2007. (OSCE/German Avagyan)

A Tajik border guard officer on a bridge over the river Piandj on the Tajik-Afghan border, 29 February 2008. (OSCE/Mikhail Evstafiev)

"Fishing" by Tatiana Stepanova, Danceni (Ialoveni district), Moldova, winter 2005. Chosen as one of the best 50 photos in the OSCE Mission to Moldova photo contest. (Tatiana Stepanova)

The pristine lakes and rivers of central and eastern Finland are ideal for canoeists and fishermen. The cleanliness of the environment is taken care of through well-implemented efficient water legislation. (Finnish Tourist Board)

An Afghan trainee sits in a simulated Russian Tu-154 civil aviation jet at a specialized training facility during an OSCE course on fighting drug trafficking, in Domodedovo, outside Moscow, 26 November 2007. (OSCE)

Border police officers and customs officials inspect vehicles and documents as part of a forensic workshop organized by the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Novi Pazar, Sandzak/Raska region, 25 October 2007. (OSCE/Milan Obradovic)

Rescue workers from Georgia's Interior Ministry honed their skills in both urban and industrial settings during an OSCE search and rescue training course, phase one of a larger programme, Tbilisi, 28 September 2007. (OSCE/David Khizanishvili)

Delegates of the Romanian-Ukrainian Commission are greeted by students from a Ukrainian-language school in Romania's Maramures region, 4 June 2007. The High Commissioner advises the two countries in monitoring the situation of their kin minorities. (OSCE/Klemens Buescher)

Children help their father vote at a polling station in Astana, during the 18 August 2007 parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan. (OSCE/Urdur Gunnarsdottir)

Prizren's Fire Rescue Unit tries to get the best score at a fire drill competition organized by the Center for Public Safety Education and Development and supported by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Vushtrri/Vucitrn, 26 June 2007. (OSCE/Hasan Sopa)

Kyrgyz police officers learn how to investigate a post-explosion scene, Osh, 27 June 2007. (OSCE)

Astronaut Yuri Baturin on board the International Space Station. An exhibition of Baturin's photos opened in Yerevan on 14 May 2007 as part of a series of events organized by the OSCE Office and Yerevan State University to highlight threats to the Earth. (Yuri Baturin/Fotosoyuz)

OSCE and Delta experts examine a 1500 kg bomb in order to smelt the TNT out later on, at Dedoplitskaro military base in Georgia, 12 March 2007, as part of an OSCE Mission to Georgia programme. (OSCE/Miloslav Rokos)

Promoting local produce in Blace, central Serbia, highlights the need for sustainable development. The OSCE helped to implement an action plan to reduce environmental threats in the small community, 3 September 2006. (OSCE)

People attend a campaign event near Ashgabat, February 2007. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has deployed an Election Support Team to Turkmenistan ahead of the 11 February presidential election. (OSCE/Gilles Saphy)

Head of the OSCE Office in Minsk Ambassador Åke Peterson, visits a local greenhouse in Olmany, Eastern Polesia, 15 June 2006. The Office promotes sustainable development and private enterprise through a range of projects. (OSCE)

Spain's Palacio Real (Royal Palace) is the largest palace in western Europe. In 1556 King Phillip II settled the Spanish court in what was then the small medieval town of Madrid. (TourSpain)

School children attend an event to raise environmental awareness organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and hosted by the primary school Branko Bozovic in Podgorica, 19 May 2006. (OSCE/Ana Dautovic)

A "hostage" is released during an exercise after members of a special police team held negotiations with "hostage-takers", at a training course in Georgia, 10 May 2006, organized by the OSCE Mission to Georgia as part of its anti-terrorism programme. (OSCE/David Khizanishvili)

The OSCE Mission to Georgia is carrying out an assistance programme that aims to transfer its skills from five years of border monitoring experience to the Georgian Border Defence Department. Photo taken May 2005. (OSCE/Jacob Dinneen)

A future voter inspects election procedures at a polling station in Kyiv during the 26 March 2006 parliamentary elections. (OSCE/Urdur Gunnarsdottir)

Members of an elite Spetsnaz (special forces) group of the Russian Interior Ministry wearing masks during an anti-terrorism exercise outside of Moscow, 9 December 2005. The OSCE contributes to world-wide efforts in combating terrorism. (OSCE/Mikhail Evstafiev)

The OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje supported a training course for traffic police officers on teaching road safety to children, in Skopje, 31 August 2005. (OSCE/Mirvete Mustafa)

Ukrainian Eurovision winner Ruslana (left) with Helga Konrad, the OSCE Special Representative on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, in Kyiv, 4 July 2005. Ruslana agreed to support the campaign against human trafficking. (OSCE)

OSCE expert Yurii Kryvonos shows a shoulder fired "Strela-IIM" anti-aircraft missile to international observers before it is destroyed near Sluck, Belarus, 25 May 2005. This was part of OSCE efforts to eliminate surplus small arms and light weapons. (OSCE)

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo organized a course on public disorder management in Lebane, 31 March 2005. It highlighted the Danish Police approach which calls for non-violent looking uniforms with body shields concealed under the uniform. (OSCE/Nikola Gaon)

Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko at his inauguration ceremony in Kiev, 23 January 2005 (OSCE/BOBO)

OSCE/ODIHR media monitors assessed the amount and tone of media coverage prior to the second round of the presidential election in Ukraine on 21 November 2004. (OSCE)

Street scene in Kabul, 7 October 2004. Afghanistan held presidential election on 9 October. (OSCE/Alexander Nitzsche)

As in most large farms in Tajikistan, women in Obikikk, near Dushanbe, are the main source of labour. (OSCE/Soeren W. Nissen)

A female cadet salutes during a graduation ceremony at the Police Academy in Bishkek, 26 June 2004. The OSCE's Strategic Police Matters Unit builds up police capacity in several countries of the former Soviet Union. (OSCE/Mikhail Evstafiev)

The joint field drill "Assistance to the Casualties 2004" conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 28 April 2004 aimed at demonstrating how well the officials of both of the country's two entities co-operate in the event of a crisis. (OSCE/Samir Alic)

Visitors and locals alike enjoy the charm of Mostar's old town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (OSCE/Nermin Podzic)

A girl meets OSCE staff in the village of Navruz, in southern Tajikistan's Kabodian district. (OSCE/Lubomir Kotek)

The OSCE border monitors in Georgia are transported by helicopter to so-called Operations Points, from where the observation of border tracks is easiest. (OSCE/Beatrix Attinger)

Col. Jan Nadolski and Major Tom Blackwell, military mission members of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, observe the embarkation of Moldovan armoured vehicle as they prepare to cross the River Dniestr, 14 August 2003. (OSCE/Neil Brennan)

Entertainer "Troko" keeps the students laughing, at a competition for students in education reform, Sarajevo, 23 April 2003. (OSCE)

Return of refugees and property restitution are a priority for the OSCE Mission to Croatia. (Alessandro Fracassetti/OSCE)

The OSCE-funded youth newspaper "Point" encourages multi-ethnic collaboration in the field of journalism, Skopje, January 2003. (OSCE)

The OSCE initiative 'Get Out and Vote' was launched by OSCE and Council of Europe representatives in Belgrade on 26 November 2002. (OSCE)

Celebrating Macedonians in the night after the parliamentary elections, 15 September 2002. (Lubomir Kotek/OSCE)

The OSCE Office in Yerevan financed the participation of an Armenian children's dance group in the Caucasian Art Festival held in the Turkish town of Artvin, 1 July 2002. (OSCE)

Water is a necessity. How EASILY can you get it? (Ayhan Evrensel/OSCE)

The OSCE Mission to Tajikistan promotes multi-ethnic friendship and dialogue at a traditional horse polo game, Southern Tajikistan, 28 February 2002. (OSCE)

A burned and flipped-over tank of the Macedonian Army is guarding the center of the village of Matejce, January 2002. (Marko Georgiev)

Patients in Pristina hospital vote for the Kosovo Assembly election through the Special Needs Voting programme organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo for those who cannot get to a polling centre on 17 November. (Lubomir Kotek/OSCE)

A young voter casting her ballot for the first time during the presidential election, Minsk, Belarus, 9 September 2001. (Jens Eschenbaecher/OSCE)

Albanian citizens marking ballots during the parliamentary elections, 24 June 2001. (Jens Eschenbaecher/OSCE)