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Story
Ministerial Council 2014
- Date:
- Source:
- OSCE Chairpersonship
Latest News
- OSCE proves its value and ability as a forum for dialogue, says OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Burkhalter as Basel Ministerial Council ends
- Summary by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter of the first day of discussions at the OSCE Ministerial Council
- Commemorative Publication marks 20 years of key OSCE document on promoting democratic control of armed and security forces
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia take ownership of regional arms control, Dayton Peace Agreement Article IV Annex 1/B: Mission accomplished
- Ukraine in focus as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Burkhalter opens 21st Ministerial Council in Basel
- Joint Statement by the Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries
Final Decisions and Declarations
The following final decisions and declarations were adopted at the 2014 OSCE Ministerial Council:
- Declaration on further steps in the Helsinki+40 Process
- Ministerial statement on the negotiations on the Transdniestrian Settlement Process in the "5+2"format
- Declaration on youth
- Declaration on the Transfer of Ownership to the Parties to the Agreement on Sub-regional Arms Control, Annex 1B, Article IV of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Declaration on the OSCE role in countering the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters in the context of the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions 2170 (2014) and 2178 (2014)
- Declaration on the OSCE role in countering kidnapping and hostage-taking committed by terrorist groups in the context of the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution 2133 (2014)
- Decision on the prevention of corruption
- Decision on enhancing disaster risk reduction
- Decision on preventing and combating violence against women
- Decision on an addendum to the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality
- Ministerial commemorative declaration on the seventieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War
- Declaration on enhancing efforts to combat anti-Semitism
- Declaration on co-operation with the Mediterranean Partners
- Ministerial declaration on co-operation with the Asian Partners
- Decision on small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition
- Commemorative Declaration on the Occasion of the Twentieth Anniversary of the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security
- Decision on the time and place of the next meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council
- Decision on the OSCE Chairmanship in the Year 2016
- Decision on the OSCE Chairmanship in the Year 2017
- Decision on the appointment of the Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
- Decision on the extension of the appointment of the OSCE Secretary General
What's it all about?
From 4 to 5 December 2014, OSCE Foreign Ministers convened in Basel for the annual Ministerial Council, to consider issues relevant to the organization and take the appropriate decisions..
The Ministerial Council was established by the Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990) under the original name of "Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs". The 1992 Helsinki Document reaffirmed its role as the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE and gave it more extensive powers in the field of conflict prevention and crisis management. The 1994 Budapest Document renamed it "Ministerial Council" and fully confirmed its pivotal political role.
Bringing together foreign ministers and delegations from the 57 OSCE participating States, the two-day Council occurs near the end of every year and in the final stages of each chairmanship. It acts as the main central decision-making and governing body in the period between OSCE summits and provides a rare opportunity for participating States and 11 partner countries to engage in high-level multilateral and bilateral talks on their current security relations and concerns. This year a parallel Civil society conference was held.
3 December: Preparations
Representatives from the OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference 2014 handed over a set of recommendations to the OSCE Chairperson during a press conference on 3 December.
20) Handover of Basel Declaration and Recommendations from Civil Society to .@OSCE CiO Didier Burkhalter pic.twitter.com/Op7wp4aJyn
— Swiss OSCE 2014 (@SwissOSCE2014) December 3, 2014
Less than 24 hrs to go until the OSCE Ministerial Council - follow #OSCEMC14 .@SwissOSCE2014 .@osce for latest news pic.twitter.com/nmuRGNbPKy
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 3, 2014
4 December: Day 1
Delegates from all 57 States have arrived at the venue in Basel for the 21st OSCE Ministerial Council. We will be live updating this page throughout the day with the latest from the event. You can follow the events online at www.osce.org/live.
OSCE Chairperson, Swiss Foreign Minister Burkhalter greets Secretary General Zannier at the start of #OSCEMC14 pic.twitter.com/WdtH3kAFwc
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 4, 2014
10:05 - Before the first session begins, all Foreign Ministers and Heads of Delegation pose for the traditional family photo outside the main meeting room. This year they're joined by the Model OSCE Youth Ambassadors.
Foreign Ministers, Heads of Delegations and Youth Ambassadors pose for a family photo at the 21st OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel, 4 December 2014.
Opening Statements
OSCE Chairperson, Swiss Foreign Minister Burkhalter spoke first:
.@SwissOSCE2014 OSCE Chair Burkhalter: A strong OSCE strengthens peace, stability and security for everyone living in OSCE region #OSCEMC14
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 4, 2014
Opening session of the 21st OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel, 4 December 2014.
.@SwissOSCE2014 OSCE Chair Burkhalter: 25yrs after fall of Berlin Wall, it's our responsibility to ensure Europe not divided again #OSCEMC14
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 4, 2014
#OSCEMC14 OSCE SecGen .@lamzannier: Number of OSCE monitors in Ukraine to reach 500 by January, of these 350 to be in east .@OSCE_SMM
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 4, 2014
@JrmieJuvet: We are deeply honored to have opportunity to work with an organization as inspiring as @OSCE. #OSCEMC2014
— Model OSCE (@ModelOSCE) December 4, 2014
German FM Frank-Walter Steinmeier, during at press conference at #OSCEMC14 pic.twitter.com/y7mwMNOv5Y
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 4, 2014
OSCE is not an organization of the past, it is a pillar of European security.
Amendments to the Agreement on Sub-regional Arms Control
Starting January 1, 2015, full ownership for the Sub-Regional Arms Control Agreement will be taken by the four Parties to the Article IV Agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia. A signing ceremony to mark this occasion was held at the Ministerial Council.
Amendments to Article IV of #Dayton Agreement signed by @LagumdzijaZ @DacicIvica @vpusic & Luksic. Western Balkans take ownership. #OSCEMC14
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 4, 2014
Mission accomplished for #BiH #Croatia #Montenegro #Serbia. Ownership of arms control sealed. #OSCEMC14 pic.twitter.com/utLLo5RtaG
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 4, 2014
On media freedom
Talked with @OSCE_RFoM re hugely impt issue: ensuring #pressfreedom safety of journalists around world. Grateful for strong commitment
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) December 4, 2014
.@JohnKerry & @OSCE_RFoM on way to #OSCEMC2014 this AM: US strong supporter of Dunja Mijatović + team's vital work. pic.twitter.com/wFXCaj6FnK
— U.S. Mission to OSCE (@usosce) December 4, 2014
Day 1 wrap-up press conference
OSCE Chair Burkhalter sums up today #OSCEMC14 live on http://t.co/QvbZddu5mS Review the day at http://t.co/whXlbjqMKo pic.twitter.com/ANOqQXClle
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 4, 2014
All the statements from today's proceedings are available online.
5 December: Day 2
9:00 - It's the second day of the 21st OSCE Ministerial Council. Watch the statements live from the main plenary hall at www.osce.org/live.
9:30 - OSCE Chairperson, Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, presented a Commemorative Publication on 20 years of the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security to the OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier at a special event held today during the 21st OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel. The publication marks 20 years of key OSCE document on promoting democratic control of armed and security forces.
OSCE Chair Burkhalter hands over Publication marking 20 yrs of OSCE Code of Conduct to OSCE SecGen Zannier #OSCEMC14 pic.twitter.com/jV5imePsng
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 5, 2014
10:45 - news briefing by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.
#Ukraine FM Klimkin: I am grateful to Switzerland for their support and engagement in #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/fK85s2eLA4
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 5, 2014
11:00 - news conference by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
LIVE: Press conference by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov http://t.co/GbwL1XfPyi #OSCEMC14 @mfa_russia pic.twitter.com/mkCUbTSBug
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 5, 2014
12:40 - incoming Chairperson Ivica Dačić gives a media briefing.
Incoming Chairperson Ivica Dačić @OSCE2015Serbia gives a media briefing at #OSCEMC14 pic.twitter.com/DLer2FbW6p
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 5, 2014
Final Decisions and Declarations
16:00 - The final decisions and declarations adopted and announced.
Final #OSCEMC14 presser with @SwissOSCE2014 Chair Burkhalter, next Chair #Serbia FM Dacic & #OSCE SG @lamzannier pic.twitter.com/Ud8lngipwm
— OSCE (@OSCE) December 5, 2014
OSCE Impact
Discover more stories about how the OSCE improves lives.