Switzerland steps up support for the OSCE special monitoring mission in Ukraine

(Last modification 14.12.2015)

Bern, 10.09.2014 - Switzerland is increasing its contribution to the OSCE special monitoring mission in Ukraine by CHF 600,000 and by providing up to an additional ten observers. This was announced by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, President of the Swiss Confederation Didier Burkhalter, in his opening speech at the OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum in Prague. The situation in Ukraine also took centre stage in the bilateral talks between President Burkhalter, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaorálek. The main theme of the Economic and Environmental Forum is the prevention of natural disasters, which is also one of the priorities of Switzerland's OSCE Chairmanship.

At the opening of the Economic and Environmental Forum of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Prague, President Burkhalter announced that Switzerland would be increasing its contribution to the OSCE special monitoring mission by CHF 600,000. Switzerland will also provide up to an additional ten observers to the OSCE, which is coordinating the mission. To date, six Swiss citizens are working for the special monitoring mission in Ukraine. The Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE underlined the importance of increasing the number of observers to monitor the ceasefire agreement that was concluded last Friday in Ukraine. President Burkhalter welcomed this agreement as a "real chance to break the logic of escalation", stating that the OSCE was ready to accompany Ukraine in a political process that paved the way for reconciliation and the reforms needed to settle the conflict. He also emphasised the urgency of a political dialogue within Ukraine.

With reference to the theme of this year's Prague Forum – the prevention of natural disasters – President Burkhalter stated that disaster management can be a means of strengthening cooperation. "The challenges that natural disasters present can motivate people to work together. In this way, it can help strengthen mutual trust beyond borders even in spite of conflicts," he said. In addition to cross-border cooperation, the conference – which lasts until 12 September 2014 – will also address the question of strengthening the prevention of natural disasters in individual OSCE states. Switzerland, which has made the prevention of natural disasters one of its priorities during its OSCE Chairmanship, is committed to firmly anchoring the issue of better disaster preparedness to the OSCE agenda for the long-term. As part of a preparatory meeting for the Prague Forum, representatives from OSCE participating States as well as other specialists visited Valais in May 2014. On their excursions, the participants were shown examples of integrated risk management which, in Switzerland, falls under the remit of the Federal Office for the Environment.

Bilateral talks

The Ukraine crisis and measures taken by the OSCE for a de-escalation also took centre stage in the talks with Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaorálek. Mr Burkhalter explained Switzerland's position and that of the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship to promote dialogue between the parties in order to prevent a further escalation of the crisis. He thanked Prime Minister Sobotka and Foreign Minister Zaorálek for their support of the OSCE special monitoring mission in Ukraine where seven Czech specialists are currently working.

The talks also addressed such topics as Switzerland's policy on the European Union, relations between Switzerland and the Czech Republic and cooperation in the Visegrad Group, an informal alliance between the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia to promote integration in Europe. Part of the group's work is to support projects promoting democracy and stability in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and in the Balkans. Switzerland has been invited to participate at the next summit of the Visegrad Group taking place in December in the Slovakian capital, Bratislava.

President Burkhalter also thanked Prime Minister Sobotka and Foreign Minister Zaorálek for the Czech Republic's assistance in evacuating staff at the Swiss embassy in Tripoli, which he praised as a good example of the excellent cooperation and close ties between Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

Since 2002, the Czech Republic has become Switzerland's most important trading partner in Central Europe; around 300 Swiss companies currently operate in the country and employ approximately 36,000 people. In 2013, the volume of trade amounted to approximately CHF 3.7 billion. Switzerland is contributing CHF 110 million to around 40 social and infrastructure projects in the Czech Republic as part of its enlargement contribution.


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