OSCE Chair appoints Personal Envoy on Ukraine and announces OSCE team to identify support measures

NEW YORK / UNITED NATIONS, 24 February 2014 – Swiss Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Didier Burkhalter has today appointed a Personal Envoy on Ukraine to co-ordinate all ongoing and planned OSCE activities on behalf of the Chairmanship.

“Ambassador Tim Guldimann will  rapidly take up consultations with all sides and will co-operate closely with international partners,” Burkhalter said while addressing the UN Security Council this afternoon.

Guldimann, a seasoned Swiss diplomat and currently the Ambassador of Switzerland to Germany, has relevant experience in the OSCE context and was twice head of an OSCE field operation.

In view of the rapidly changing developments in Ukraine, Burkhalter reiterated the importance for a fair and inclusive process of transition which does not marginalize any part of the country or any community.

In order to identify OSCE assistance for Ukraine, he announced an OSCE Team was on its way to Kyiv to assess needs and potential support measures for Ukraine in the next few days.

He also proposed establishing an international Contact Group on Ukraine as a potential platform for co-ordination and sharing information on international assistance and project activities. With its impartiality and inclusivity, the OSCE had the necessary attributes to host and moderate that group, he said.

He also presented his country’s Chairmanship priorities during the speech. With an overarching goal of creating a security community for the benefit of everyone, Switzerland will focus on fostering security and stability, improving people’s lives and strengthening the OSCE’s capacity to act during 2014, he said.

He emphasized the co-operation between the regional security organizations such as the OSCE and the United Nations. As a regional organization under chapter VIII of the UN Charter, the OSCE contributes to UN efforts to foster peace and security, with cooperation stretching to human rights, rule of law, election observation, the fight against terrorism, and conflict resolution, he continued.  The co-operation between the OSCE and the UN needed to be further enhanced, especially in the field, Burkhalter said.