News and press releases

The importance of promoting the right to freedom of religion or belief as a core component of ensuring sustainable security in Kazakhstan was highlighted by participants in a meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Astana on 13 February 2018.

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 9 and 10 February compared with the previous reporting period. The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions between the evenings of 10 and 11 February compared with the previous 24 hours. Small arms were again fired near an SMM patrol and toward an SMM unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed a calm situation in all three. Its access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere, including in Siedove near the border with the Russian Federation and in Styla.* The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Styla and Donetsk city. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure near Pervomaisk. The Mission visited two border areas not under government control.

The OSCE Mission to Serbia, in partnership with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Education, launched the Basics of Child Safety handbook, a vital guideline for schoolchildren, teachers and parents, on 12 February 2018 in Belgrade.

Addressing the needs of Jewish communities in Poland was the focus of a meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 13 February 2018 in Warsaw. The meeting was held in co-operation with the Polish Interior Ministry, the General Police Headquarters of

BAKU / YEREVAN, 11 February 2018- The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America), together with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk, met with President Ilham Aliyev in Baku on 7 February and President Serzh Sargsyan in Yerevan on 9 February. In both capitals, they also held consultations with the respective Foreign Ministers.  The Co-Chairs also travelled to Nagorno-Karabakh on 9-11 February to meet with de facto authorities and visited specific locations in the Zangelan, Kubatly, Agdam, Lachin, and Kelbajar districts...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Small arms were fired near SMM patrols near Verkhnoshyrokivske and Vidrodzhennia and toward an SMM mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near Pervomaiske. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed a calm situation in all three areas. The Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including in Samiilove and at a heavy weapons holding area in a non-government-controlled area.* The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to essential infrastructure near Artema and Pervomaisk. The Mission visited a border area not under government control. The SMM followed up on the situation of internally displaced persons in Pokrovske. In Kyiv, the SMM monitored two gatherings...

The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. In Svitlodarsk, the SMM recorded widespread use of multiple launch rocket systems. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it observed a calm situation in all three. The Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including near Kreminets. The SMM observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines in Topolyne and near Oleksandropil. In Novooleksandrivka, the SMM saw a Ukrainian Armed Forces checkpoint for the first time. The Mission saw large numbers of anti-tank mines for the first time near Shyrokyne. The SMM continued to facilitate and monitor repairs and maintenance works on essential infrastructure near Artema and Krasnyi Lyman. The Mission visited three border areas not under government control. In Kyiv, the SMM followed up on reports of a raid and seizure of assets of a media company, and in Kherson, the SMM monitored a gathering...