OSCE Chairperson-in-Office advocates extending OSCE SMM's mandate

The OSCE should focus its efforts on the peaceful settlement of the "conflict in and around Ukraine" in accordance with the Minsk Agreements and with full respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"We should focus on the peaceful settlement of the conflict in and around Ukraine in accordance with the Minsk Agreements and with full respect for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity within its internationally recognized borders," OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Zbigniew Rau said at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting in Vienna, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Rau pointed out the importance of the activities of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. He also expressed the belief that the OSCE SMM's mandate should be extended after March 31, 2022.

"The SMM should be able to fully and effectively carry out its mandate in the territory of Ukraine," the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland added.

He stressed that Poland’s OSCE chairmanship would pay "special attention to improving the security situation in the OSCE region, especially with regard to finding ways to peacefully resolve regional and protracted conflicts." In his speech, he also underscored the need to reach a peaceful settlement in Georgia, Transnistria, and Nagorno-Karabakh, and expressed concern over the developments in Kazakhstan.

The OSCE Permanent Council meeting began at the OSCE Headquarters in Vienna on Thursday, January 13. Poland presents the priorities of its chairmanship in 2022.

It is also expected that the delegations of the participating countries will speak about the current escalation provoked by Russia's military build-up near the Ukrainian borders.

Photo credit: WYBORCZA.PL

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