News and press releases

Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russian Federation. The Observer Mission (OM) continues to operate 24/7 at both Border Crossing Points (BCPs). The overall number of border crossings by persons decreased at both BCPs compared to the previous week.

ASHGABAT, 21 May 2019 – Visiting Turkmenistan today, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Miroslav Lajčák, underlined the strategic importance of Central Asia for Eurasian security.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, led by Head of Office Pierre von Arx, visited the southern provinces of Kyrgyzstan, Osh, Jalal-Abad and Batken from 12 to 18 May 2019 to follow up on and plan programmatic activities with local authorities, implementing partners and civil society...

On 15 and 17 May 2019 the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Ambassador Pierre von Arx, together with local authorities, members of the Kyrgyz Parliament and entrepreneurs, opened two new Entrepreneurship Support Centres (ECS) in the cities of Djalal-Abad and Batken, southern Kyrgyzstan.

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, jointly with the Parliament of Tajikistan, conducted a conference devoted to the International Day of Families on 15 May 2019.

TASHKENT, 20 May 2019 – Kicking off his tour of three Central Asian countries at its very heart, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Miroslav Lajčák, today opened the new OSCE premises in Uzbekistan...

Compared with the previous reporting period, between the evenings of 17 and 18 May, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Between the evenings of 18 and 19 May, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. Explosions occur close to the SMM near the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM recorded ceasefire violations inside the Zolote disengagement area. The SMM observed damage caused by small-arms fire in residential houses in Zolote-5/Mykhailivka and fresh craters in Pervomaisk. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure. Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas. The Mission’s freedom of movement was also restricted at checkpoints in non-government-controlled Staromykhailivka, Verkhnoshyrokivske and Donetsk city, as well as at a heavy weapons holding area in a government-controlled area...