News and press releases

BERN, 27 February 2014- OSCE Chair in Office and Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter has expressed his serious concern at on-going developments in Crimea and announced a visit by his Personal Envoy Tim Guldimann and OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors within the coming days.

NEW YORK, 26 February 2014 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today expressed concern about an initiative by a group of members of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, to ban broadcasts of some television and radio programmes in the country...

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swiss Foreign Minister and President of the Confederation Didier Burkhalter met US Vice President Joe Biden yesterday, with discussions focussing on Ukraine.

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 coordinate all ongoing and planned OSCE activities on behalf of the Chairmanship...

THE HAGUE, 24 February 2014 – OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors today expressed her satisfaction that solutions to end the violence and loss of life in Ukraine are emerging. However, she cautioned that the situation remains very fragile. She called on all actors to refrain from taking actions that could lead to increased tensions...

BERN, 21 February 2014- Didier Burkhalter, Swiss Foreign Minister and Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE, has welcomed the agreement reached between the parties regarding the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine...

BERN, 19 February 2014 – OSCE Chairmanship Switzerland urges the Ukrainian authorities to do their utmost to defuse the menacing situation in the country and proposes a set of measures in a bid to end violence and bring about the resumption of political talks...