Mongolia requests to become OSCE participating State

VILNIUS, 28 October 2011 - The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis, today received a letter from Mongolia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Gombojav Zandanshatar, formally expressing Mongolia’s willingness  to join the OSCE as a participating State.

In his letter, Zandanshatar declared the readiness of his country to accept in their entirety all the commitments and responsibilities contained in the Helsinki Final Act, the Charter of Paris for a New Europe and all other OSCE documents.

“Mongolia has expressed the wish to become a participating State of the OSCE. At the OSCE Summit in Astana in December, the participating States reaffirmed their commitment to build security and stability and respect for human rights in the area from Vancouver to Vladivostok,” said Ažubalis.

“By freely adopting the commitments contained in the Helsinki Final Act, the Charter of Paris and all other OSCE documents as a participating State, Mongolia has sent a strong signal with regard to both the continued relevance of the OSCE’s values, and the country’s determination to adhere to those values.”

The Chairmanship will start consultations with the OSCE participating States regarding the application, said Ažubalis.

Mongolia has been an OSCE Partner for Co-operation since 2004. The last country to become an OSCE participating State was Montenegro in 2006. Becoming an OSCE participating State requires a consensus decision by all the current 56 participating States.