Additional Ministerial Meeting held in Moscow

A member of the then CSCE (now OSCE) Mission to Georgia shares bread with children who have been displaced by the armed conflict in South Ossetia, 1993. (OSCE)
A member of the then CSCE (now OSCE) Mission to Georgia shares bread with children who have been displaced by the armed conflict in South Ossetia, 1993. (OSCE)

When: 10 September 1991

Where: Moscow

The Document stated that commitments undertaken in the human dimension of the CSCE were matters of direct and legitimate concern to all participating States and were not exclusively internal affairs.

The "Moscow Mechanism" allowed for sending missions of experts to assist participating States in resolving particular problems relating to the human dimension. Such missions could either be invited by the OSCE participating State or be initiated by a group of six or more participating States. Mission should gather information necessary for carrying out their mandate and, if appropriate, use their good offices and mediation services to promote dialogue and co-operation among interested parties.

The Moscow Document also strengthened the human dimension by introducing several new commitments, such as support for an elected democratic government facing an attempted or actual overthrow and the protection of human rights during a state of public emergency. Most new commitments were reiterated at the Helsinki Summit in 1992, and amendments to the Moscow Mechanism were adopted by the 1993 Rome Council of Ministers document.