News

On 3-4 December, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius is attending the 27th OSCE Ministerial Council. The annual event traditionally reviews and evaluates the organisation’s efforts to address key threats to security in the OSCE region.

In his speech, Linkevičius mainly focused on a complicated security situation in the OSCE region. “Disregard for international agreements or selective implementation, as well as the lack of transparency and predictability in the area of security make our region increasingly vulnerable,” said the Acting Foreign Minister.

Particular emphasis was placed on the long-term conflicts provoked and orchestrated by Russia, including the occupation of eastern Ukraine, the illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, as well as the frozen conflicts in Georgia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The Acting Foreign Minister drew attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in conflict-affected areas and urged Russia to engage in constructive conflict resolution.

Linkevičius also called on the international community to respond more actively to the political crisis in Belarus by exerting pressure on the de-facto Belarusian authorities, demanding accountability for systemic human rights violations, helping Belarusian civil society and victims of the regime's repression.

A discussion on the ongoing occupation of Crimea was held at the initiative of Ukraine. During the discussion, the Acting Foreign Minister stressed the need to continue bringing the matter to the international community's attention.

“We strongly support Ukraine’s sovereignty and efforts to pursue a sustainable political solution to the conflict. The creation of an international Crimean platform is another example that illustrates these consistent efforts," said Linkevičius. The platform is expected to consolidate the international response to the occupation of Crimea and to exert more pressure on Russia.

The Acting Foreign Minister also called on the participating states to implement the OSCE and other international commitments, as this is the only guarantor of a more secure world.

The OSCE Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE.

Please click here for further information on the OSCE Ministerial Council: www.osce.org/event/mc_2020