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Foreign Minister Steinmeier welcomes extension of OSCE observer mission in Ukraine
On the margins of his visit to Washington, Foreign Minister Steinmeier issued the following statement on the decision by the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) in Vienna to extend the civilian observer mission in Ukraine by one year.
This is a most welcome decision. The OSCE observer mission is performing an extremely important task in monitoring the implementation of the Minsk agreements. In view of the ongoing fragile situation in the region, we have a vested interest in supporting and strengthening the observer mission in every possible way.
Today’s decision – taken with the express consent of Kyiv and Moscow – is exemplary of the strong political support for the observer mission and paves the way for the vital extension and intensification of the observers’ work in the region. Germany will continue to offer the OSCE observer mission its full political, financial, personnel and technical support.