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2021 OSCE Asian Conference, Vienna and via Zoom, 20-21 September 2021

Prior to taking up the agenda, the Chairperson informed the Permanent Council that the Chairperson-in-Office, in a letter (Annex) issued on 18 March 2021, had announced the adoption through a silence procedure of Ministerial Council Decision No. 1/21 on the 2021 Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC). The Permanent Council adopted Decision No. 1411 on the recommendation to the Ministerial Council to adopt a decision on the dates of the 2021 Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC). The Permanent Council adopted Decision No. 1412 on the recommendation to the Ministerial Council to adopt a decision on the agenda and organizational modalities of the 2021 Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC) (Armenia, interpretative statement). The Permanent Council adopted Decision No. 1413 on the approval of the 2021 Unified Budget (Russian Federation, interpretative statement 1; Slovenia-European Union, interpretative statement 2; Norway, also on behalf of Switzerland, interpretative statement 3; Azerbaijan, interpretative statement 4; Armenia, interpretative statement 5; United Kingdom, interpretative statement 6).

The Permanent Council adopted Decision No. 1413 on the approval of the 2021 Unified Budget (Russian Federation, interpretative statement 1; Slovenia-European Union, interpretative statement 2; Norway, also on behalf of Switzerland, interpretative statement 3; Azerbaijan, interpretative statement 4; Armenia, interpretative statement 5; United Kingdom, interpretative statement 6).

Opening statement by H.E. Mr. Ara Aivazian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Annex 1; Sweden, Annex 2; Turkey, Annex 3; Russian Federation, Annex 4; Azerbaijan, Annex 5). Statement by the delegation of Azerbaijan on the request for assistance in enhancing the capacity of Azerbaijan’s national authorities for reducing and responding to explosive hazards (Azerbaijan, Annex 6).

The Chairperson, on behalf of the Permanent Council, welcomed the new Permanent Representative of Greece to the OSCE, Ambassador Andreas Papadakis. Report by the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jean-Claude Schlumberger. Permanent Council adopted Decision No. 1072 on the Scales of Contributions for 2013–2015 (interpretative statement by the Delegation of the United States of America attached). Permanent Council adopted Decision No. 1073 on approval of the 2013 Unified Budget (interpretative statements by the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU and by the Delegations of the United States of America and Norway, also on behalf of Switzerland, attached). Conviction of the murderer of Ukrainian journalist Mr. G. Gongadze. Shooting of presidential candidate Mr. P. Hayrikyan in Armenia. Report on the activites of the Chairperson-in-Office. Conference on Internet 2013: Shaping Policies to Advance Media Freedom, to be held in Vienna on 14 and 15 February 2013. Seventieth anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Stalingrad.

The Chairperson, on behalf of the Permanent Council, welcomed the new Permanent Representative of Mongolia to the OSCE, Ambassador Gunaajav Batjargal, the new Permanent Representative of the European Union to the OSCE, Ambassador Thierry Béchet, the new Permanent Representative of Montenegro to the OSCE, Ambassador Slavica Milačić, and the new Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the OSCE, Ambassador Ayoob M. Erfani. The Ambassador of Afghanistan delivered some remarks to mark the assumption of his post. Prior to taking up the agenda, the Chairperson informed the Permanent Council that the Chairperson-in-Office, in a letter (Annex 1) issued on 6 March 2013, had announced the adoption through a silence procedure of Ministerial Council Decision No. 1/13 (MC.DEC/1/13) on the extension of the mandate of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (statement by the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, Annex 2; Liechtenstein, also on behalf of Canada, Norway and Switzerland, Annex 3; Russian Federation, interpretative statement 1, United States of America, interpretative statement 2). Report by the Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Ambassador Lubomir Kopaj. Report by the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, Dr. Halil Yurdakul Yigitgüden. Permanent Council adopted Decision No. 1075 on the OSCE 2012 year-end Unified Budget revision. State language policy in Estonia. Report on the activities of the Chairperson-in-Office. Farewell to the Permanent Representative of Portugal, Ambassador A. Martinho. International Women’s Day, observed on 8 March 2013. Meeting of the Contact Group with the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, held in Vienna on 1 March 2013. Parliamentary elections in Germany, to be held on 22 September 2013 (Germany, Annex 4).

Address by the Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, H.E. Ms. Ann Linde (Armenia, Annex 1; United States of America, Annex 2).

Before taking up the agenda, the Chairperson, Ukraine, the Russian Federation and Mongolia remembered the 298 victims of the tragic crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which occurred on 17 July 2014. The Netherlands thanked the Chairperson and the participating States for commemorating that tragedy and for their expression of condolences. Report by the High Commissioner on National Minorities, Ms. Astrid Thors. Report by the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador Andrey Sorokin. The Permanent Council adopted Decision No. 1175 on the agenda and organizational modalities of the 2015 OSCE Mediterranean Conference. Ongoing aggression against Ukraine and violations of OSCE principles and commitments by the Russian Federation. Situation in Ukraine and the need to implement the Minsk agreements. Abduction and illegal detention of Ukrainian citizens by the Russian Federation. Commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide on 11 July 2015 (San Marino, Annex). Thirty-second round of the Geneva International Discussions, held on 1 July 2015. Erection of so-called “State border” signs in Georgia near the Baku-Supsa pipeline. Political agreement in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Human rights concerns in Tajikistan. Russian law on so-called “undesirable” non-governmental organizations. The death penalty in the United States of America. Freedom of the media and pluralism in the OSCE area. Report on the activities of the Chairperson-in-Office. Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, to be held on 1 November 2015.

Information Exchange on the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security