OSCE

423938

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan organized a three-week training course from 10 to 29 June 2019 in Tashkent, targeting some 200 junior and mid-level female managers from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

The participants included members of the Uzbekistan Business Women Association, representing various sectors of the economy, such as textile industry, food processing, tourism and other services across the country, as well as 12 guest women entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan.  

Faculty members of the Westminster International University in Tashkent gave lectures on business management and business idea generation, fundamental marketing concepts and marketing strategies, and financial management. The course also included a train-the-trainer component, in which the participants learned how to pass on the knowledge gained to others.

Women managers training courses, organized by the Project Co-ordinator since 2017, build a network among women and enterprises in the OSCE region. They enable them to generate, design and implement strategic plans aimed at increasing the efficiency of production; improve brand management, generate sales, optimize production processes and motivate staff, creating more jobs in rural areas.

The Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, John MacGregor, opening the panel on 24 June, underlined the importance of Uzbekistan’s 2017 – 2021 Action Strategy priorities to improve the economic activity of women, create jobs, and strengthen their managerial roles.

“This training course for female entrepreneurs is built on the success of similar courses held in 2017 and I offer my congratulations and thanks to our partners for this - the Business Women Association and the Westminster International University in Tashkent,” said MacGregor.

MacGregor highlighted the recent election of Tanzila Narbayeva as Chairperson of the upper chamber of Oliy Majlis: “The election of Narbayeva shows commitment to promoting equal opportunities for women in the economic sphere,” he said.

The training course is organized under the extra-budgetary project “Support to managerial capacity building of female managers” funded by Germany, Norway and the Netherlands.

423917 Kunduz Rysbek

The Fourth International Summer School for Junior Diplomats from Central Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia, supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, is taking place from 24 to 29 June 2019 in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan.

The event is organized by the Diplomatic Academy under the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Kyrgyzstan. 

The aim of the Summer School is to address global and regional challenges and the role of diplomacy in overcoming these challenges. The discussions are mainly focused on topical issues such as violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism, transnational threats and challenges in Central Asia, migration and human rights, the role and importance of diplomacy and multilateralism during integration processes, peace-building and security, public and digital diplomacy, geo-economic and geo-strategic factors in energy diplomacy and political systems in Central Asia.  

Various international experts from the Kyrgyz MFA, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the MFA of the Russian Federation, International Organization for Migration, Diplomatic Institute of the MFA of the State of Qatar, Diplomatic Academies of Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Federation, are giving lectures and moderating discussions.

The Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Pierre von Arx, will deliver a lecture on the topic "Threats and Challenges to Regional Security in Central Asia", outlining the role of the OSCE in supporting the Central Asian states' efforts.

In his opening remarks the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, Nuran Niyazaliev, said: Against the backdrop of current challenges and threats, strengthened co-operation between our states is becoming even more important in order to better counter the common threats and challenges."

The Summer School has become a unique opportunity and platform to share views and propose solutions on how to address contemporary challenges, link states' economies closer, and promote joint efforts for working together in the region and beyond.

Stressing the importance of regional dialogue and co-operation, Head of Office Pierre von Arx said: "Today's event gathered together young diplomats from across Central Asian states, Afghanistan and Mongolia  who are the future decision-makers, the movers and shakers of regional and international diplomacy, and the OSCE is glad to support such an important dialogue platform." 

Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The OSCE completed its third cascade training conducted for Tajik border officials from 17 June to 22 June 2019 in the town of Khorog, Tajikistan. The training was the last of a series of similar courses conducted earlier this year in the Khatlon and Sughd regions of Tajikistan. All courses were conducted by national experts of the Tajik Border Troops who are alumni of previous OSCE courses.

The three two-week training courses allowed 100 border officers to enhance their knowledge and skills in effectively conducting surveillance, first aid and operational planning. The training courses further covered patrolling, demining awareness, gender mainstreaming in border security, as well as canine services.

“For us it is very important to apply in our day-to-day work all of the knowledge and skills gained from the training and experts, who all have a very rich professional background,” said Davlathusainov Avliyohusain, one of the trainees.

“These training courses are an important part of implementing Tajikistan’s National Border Strategy. The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe will continue to support Tajikistan in strengthening the capacities of its border troops and thereby contribute to security and stability in the country,” said Valeriu Chiveri, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe.

423887 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities The Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities The Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Lamberto Zannier visited Tajikistan from 18 to 22 June 2019, where he continued to promote the adoption of multilingual education that achieves a balance between ensuring that minorities are able to learn in their own languages and making them proficient in the state (official) language, so that they can participate fully in society.

In the ethnically diverse Sughd province in the Fergana valley, Zannier visited an Uzbek language school and the recently reopened department of Uzbek philology at the University of Khujand.

The High Commissioner also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tajikistan Education Ministry, which underpins the Ministry’s participation in the HCNM’s Central Asia Education Programme. This programme, which has been running since 2012, supports the development of multilingual education in national minority schools in the region.

On 21 June, Zannier opened a roundtable on multilingual education in Dushanbe alongside the Deputy Education Minister Rakhmatullo Mirboboev. The roundtable and a working-level seminar held on 20 June aim to introduce government representatives and heads of education institutes to current best practices in the field of multilingual education.

During his visit, Zannier met a range of interlocutors, including minority representatives and government officials such as Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirodjidin Muhriddin and Education Minister Nuriddin Said.

NUR-SULTAN, 24 June 2019 – An OSCE-organized week-long simulation exercise on how to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking kicks off today at the Regional Hub for Countering Global Threats in Nur-Sultan. More than 70 professionals from law enforcement, labour inspectorates, border and migration authorities, prosecutorial offices, NGOs and public social services from 17 OSCE participating States are participating in the live-action training.

Delivered for the second time in the Russian language, this training exercise offers front-line responders the opportunity to simulate real-life anti-trafficking responses, using live actors to create trafficking scenarios. Fictitious brothels, a construction site, an agricultural field and border crossing points have been re-created to simulate cases of human trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation, including child victims.

“The fact that we are offering this training opportunity for the second time within a span of less than one year is a clear indication of the interest from the OSCE participating States in enhancing their capacity to combat human trafficking in the spirit of co-operation and partnership,” said Valiant Richey, OSCE Acting Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. “This time we have further diversified the professional profile of the participants by including border guards and cultural mediators whose expertise is simply indispensable to the effective fight against human trafficking and adequate assistance to its victims.”

Ergali Merzadinov, Rector of the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan noted the relevance of implementing this educational exercise to enhance the fight against modern threats and challenges: “Kazakhstan pays special attention to strengthening regional and international security. Trafficking in human beings has become largely a transnational problem with a high level of social danger.”

“In order to ensure a successful response to this threat, it is necessary to maintain close co-operation and systematic work of the responsible agencies from our countries as well as to create effective mechanisms for identification of the crime. I believe this joint live simulation training and the development of common approaches to pressing issues will improve the effectiveness of work on prevention and detection of criminal acts,” he underlined.

This project is part of ongoing efforts by the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings to facilitate better identification and assistance of trafficking victims through a new, multi-national and cross-sectoral approach.

The simulation exercise in Nur-Sultan, supported by the OSCE field operations, including the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan, follows five similar exercises in Vicenza, Italy and one in Kazakhstan. A further exercise will be conducted in Vicenza in September 2019.

423878 Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

An OSCE-supported train-the-trainer course on effective teaching skills for representatives of the legal profession concluded on 22 June 2019 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The four-day event was co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan and the NGO Legal Policy Research Centre, with support from the Bar Associations in the cities of Almaty and Nur-Sultan. 

Some 22 defence lawyers from eight Bar Associations attended the course aimed at capacity-building of the lawyers’ community in accordance with provisions of the new law On the Professional Activities of Advocates and Legal Assistance.

Participants were trained by local experts in how to plan, prepare and deliver effective training sessions for their peers. They enhanced their professional knowledge and skills in public speaking, verbal communication, team working and conflict resolution. Based on the results of the training course, five graduates will be selected to prepare and deliver a next workshop to apply the acquired skills in practice.

The training seminar is part of the OSCE Programme Office’s long-standing efforts to strengthen the rule of law and fair trial standards in the host country.

Željka Šulc

The second Model OSCE conference in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) concluded on 22 June 2019 in Banja Luka. Over 35 participants from Serbia, Croatia and the host country BiH gathered to enhance their theoretical and practical knowledge about the history, role and functioning of the OSCE and the work of its Permanent Council and field operations, particularly with regards to conflict prevention.

The event was organized by the OSCE Mission to BiH, its Youth Advisory Group members and the Students’ Club of the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Banja Luka.

“In our daily work, we place great significance on working for youth and with youth, recognizing young women and men as natural and key partners for positive systemic change, social cohesion and sustainable development,” said Dmitry Iordanidi, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina Field Office in Banja Luka.

Iordanidi added that “the OSCE fully appreciates the unique position and ability of young people to promote mutual understanding, reconciliation and regional co-operation, protect norms which underpin democratic governance, counter hate speech, prevent bias-motivated incidents and hate crimes, combat radicalization toward violence and violent extremism, stand up against corruption, and advocate against segregation and discrimination in education”.

Ljubiša Aćimović, the President of Students Club at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Banja Luka, said: “It was certainly a great pleasure for us to co-operate these several months with representatives of the OSCE Mission on the implementation of the Model OSCE for 2019.” He emphasized how glad he was that “participants from the region came, and it would certainly be good to extend the invitation to include other countries from the region and beyond”.

“Through the simulation of the work of this international organization the participants had an opportunity to broaden their knowledge about the work and structure of OSCE and to get to know each other better,” he said.

A student from Zagreb, Croatia, Tina Novak, commented: “I am glad that I had an opportunity to meet other students during these two days and to learn a lot about activities of the OSCE.”

Novak explained that through the simulation of the work of delegates she had an opportunity to see how interesting and challenging their work was. “I heard about the Model OSCE from my colleagues who participated last year and shared their positive experiences. I hope that the third Model OSCE will be organized next year and that it will include even more countries,” she concluded.

This activity is one in a series of simulations in BiH meant to provide students with a unique opportunity to explore various aspects of the OSCE’s work across the politico-military, economic and environmental and human dimensions.

OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan

A high-level government delegation from Uzbekistan, supported by the  OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, is attending the 22nd Diplomatic Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), from 18 to 24 June 2019 in The Hague.

The visit is organized for the delegation consisting of the Director of Treaty and Law Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mirvokhid Azimov, Head of the International Legal Department of the Supreme Court, Alimdjan Kariev, and the Chief Consultant of the Department on Legal Protection of Interests of Uzbekistan of the Ministry of Justice Khurliman Aytniyazova, headed by the Deputy Minister of Justice Hudayor Meliev, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan.

The conference, in which Uzbekistan is participating as an observer, is dedicated to discussing the draft Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters.

In March 2019, Uzbekistan began the procedure for joining the Conference, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

During the visit, the delegation will hold meetings with the leadership of the HCCH and the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

The meetings will focus on the prospects for building up co-operation of Uzbekistan with the aforementioned international organizations in areas such as the development of private international law and the exchange of experiences in training legal personnel in accordance with international standards.

The Project Co-ordinator is supporting the visit within the framework of its project to support Uzbekistan in the improvement of policies and practices on the legal protection of private property rights.

The HCCH is an intergovernmental organization in the area of private international law which administers several international conventions, protocols and soft law instruments.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• The SMM observed two residential houses damaged by shelling in government-controlled Chermalyk.
• The SMM observed about 160 explosions and about 4,600 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire in areas south-east of government-controlled Popasna.
• The SMM saw 30 multiple launch rocket systems in violation of withdrawal lines in non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk region.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. Its freedom of movement was also denied in non-government-controlled areas of southern Donetsk region at checkpoints near Novoazovsk, Naberezhne and in Kozatske.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 380), compared with the previous reporting period (about 70 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in areas east-south-east of Zalizne (government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk), at southerly, south-easterly and south-westerly directions of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) and at easterly directions of Hnutove (government-controlled, 20km north-east of Mariupol), while about 60 explosions were recorded at southerly and westerly directions of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including, however, a similar number of explosions (165), compared with the previous reporting period (about 170 explosions). Almost all ceasefire violations were recorded at south-easterly directions of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk).

Two residential houses in Chermalyk damaged by shelling

At 41 Pervomaiska Street in the centre of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol), about 500m from the contact line, the SMM observed a fresh crater (10cm in diameter) in the concrete tiles 2m south of the south-facing metal gate of a residential single-storey house, as well as at least 50 fresh small holes in the aforementioned metal gate and the adjacent south-facing entrance door. The Mission also observed at least 15 fresh holes on the east-facing wall of a summer house located about 5m west of the house, as well as a hole in its east-facing window. The SMM assessed that the crater was caused by a projectile of an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2, 23mm) fired from a southerly direction and that the holes were caused by shrapnel. The owner of the house (a woman in her eighties) told the SMM that she had been at home on the evening of 20 June, when she had heard shelling.

At 47 Pervomaiska Street, 20m south and across the street from the abovementioned house, the SMM saw 25 holes on the east-facing brick wall of a single-storey residential house, as well as six holes in three east-facing windows on the same wall. It also saw multiple scratches on a tree located about 3m east of the house, as well as some of its branches lying on the ground. The SMM assessed the damage to be fresh and caused by a projectile of an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23-2), impacting the tree, from a southerly direction, as well as shrapnel. Additionally, about 5m north of the house, the SMM saw fresh holes in a street light, assessed as caused by spray from the abovementioned impacts. The owner of the house (a man in his fifties) told the SMM that on the evening of 20 June, he had been at home and had heard a loud explosion.

Disengagement areas[2]

During the night of 20 to 21 June, while on the northern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard about 155 undetermined explosions and about 4,600 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire over a period of five hours in areas south-east of Popasna, immediately outside the 5km periphery of the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk). During the day on 21 June, positioned on the northern edge of Popasna, the SMM heard seven undetermined explosions and 12 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all assessed as outside the disengagement area but within its 5km periphery.

On the same day, positioned on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM heard three undetermined shots assessed as outside the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area but within its 5km periphery.

On the same day, positioned near the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), the SMM observed a calm situation.[3]

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines:

Non-government-controlled areas

20 June

An SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted:

• eight multiple-launch-rocket-systems (MLRS) (BM-12 Grad, 122mm) in a training area near Miusynsk (62km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations see SMM Daily Report 20 June 2019); and

• 22 MLRS (BM-21) near Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk) (for previous observations see SMM Daily Report 6 June 2019).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Government-controlled areas

21 June

The SMM saw four tanks (probable T-64) near Zelene Pole (40km north-west of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled

20 June

An SMM long-range UAV spotted:

• four surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10), six tanks (T-64), nine self-propelled-howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm), and 12 towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) in a training area near Miusynsk (see above); and
• 29 towed howitzers (five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm, six D-30 and 18 types undetermined), six self-propelled-howitzers (2S1), and four anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) near Khrustalnyi (see above).

An SMM mini-UAV spotted 25 tanks (20 T-72, four T-64, a probable T-72), as well as eight probable tanks (types undetermined) in a training area near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk) (for previous observations in the area see SMM Daily Report 21 June 2019).

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

20 June

An SMM long-range UAV spotted an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) near Troitske (69km west of Luhansk).

21 June

The SMM saw:

• an armoured personnel carrier (APC) (BTR-80) in Bobrove (56km north-west of Luhansk);
• an APC (BTR-70) in Zolote-2/Karbonit (62km west of Luhansk); and
• an IFV (BTR-4) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

19 June

An SMM mini-UAV spotted four IFVs (BMP-1, BMP-2 and two BMP variants), an APC (BTR-80), an armoured reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2), and an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) among civilian houses in the eastern outskirts of Holubivka (formerly Kirovsk, 51km west of Luhansk).

20 June

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted two IFVs (BMP-1) near Pryshyb (34km north-west of Luhansk).

On 18 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time a 10m-long trench, running north to south, assessed as belonging to the armed formations, about 3.5km north-west of Smile (non-government-controlled area, 31km north-west of Luhansk) (not visible in imagery from 2 June 2019).

On 20 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time a 70m-long trench (not visible in imagery from 18 June 2018), running north-east to south-west, assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, about 2km south-east of Krymske (government-controlled, 42km north-west of Luhansk). The same UAV also spotted for the first time an at least 55m-long trench (not visible in imagery from 15 November 2018), assessed as belonging to the armed formations, running north to south about 500m south of Sokilnyky (non-government-controlled, 38km north-west of Luhansk).

New mine hazard sign near Mykolaivka

About 2km north-west of Mykolaivka (government-controlled, 40km south of Donetsk), the SMM saw for the first time a red and yellow sign with the words “Attention! Civilian traffic prohibited.” in Ukrainian, 1m east of the road, as well as, 5m further north, a red and yellow mine hazard sign with instructions in Ukrainian on what to do when finding a mine/unexploded ordnance (UXO).

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to a water pipeline between Zolote-3/Stakhanovets (government-controlled, 61km west of Luhansk) and Popasna, a water pipeline between Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk, government-controlled, 43km north of Donetsk) and Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk), a power line near Raivka (non-government-controlled, 16km north-west of Luhansk),  power lines in Spartak (non-government-controlled, 9km north of Donetsk), a power substation in Betmanove (non-government-controlled, formerly Krasnyi Partizan, 23km north-east of Donetsk), power lines in Shyroka Balka (non-government-controlled, 34km north-east of Donetsk), as well as maintenance works to the phenol sludge reservoir near Zalizne (formerly Artemove, government-controlled, 42km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM also facilitated the operation of the DFS and continued to monitor the security situation in the area of the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, UXO and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre on Control and Co-ordination should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, SMM Daily Report 12 June 2019). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At a checkpoint at the northern entrance to Novoazovsk (non-government-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage south into the town, as well as south-east towards Siedove (non-government-controlled, 106km south of Donetsk), citing “orders from superiors”.
• In Kozatske (non-government-controlled, 36km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM could not proceed east towards Porokhnia (non-government-controlled, 40km north-east of Mariupol) because of a concrete barrier with a red-and-white sign blocking the road. Later, also in Kozatske, a member of the armed formations denied the SMM access to a compound.
• At the eastern edge of Naberezhne (non-government-controlled, 33km north-east of Mariupol), an armed member of the armed formations denied the SMM access to the village, citing “security reasons”.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Other impediments:

• An SMM mini-UAV experienced GPS signal interference, assessed as due to probable jamming, while flying near Pyshchevyk (government-controlled, 25km north-east of Mariupol). [5]

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[5] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of kilometres from the UAVs’ positions.

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA, 21 June 2019 –  The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia’s Foreign and European Affairs Minister, Miroslav Lajčák, concluded today his trip to the three OSCE field operations in South-Eastern Europe with a visit to the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

When Slovakia took over the OSCE Chairmanship in January 2019, it promised to prioritize visits to the OSCE field operations.

“We believed that we could only effectively fulfil our role as the OSCE Chairmanship if we were aware of the work being done on the ground. Being in Prishtinë/Priština today as the first Chairperson-in-Office since 2014 and visiting the Organization’s biggest field Mission - with the exception of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine - is a fulfilment of this promise. I want to learn more about that work from those who are implementing it every day,” Lajčák stressed.

In the last 20 years, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo has become a trusted partner, working towards the shared goal of developing a democratic and multi-ethnic society based on European principles and values.

The OSCE Chairperson had the opportunity to engage with representatives from the OSCE field presence in Kosovo, during which he emphasized his appreciation for their important work. He also visited four regional centres of the OSCE Mission: Prishtinë/Priština, Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North, Mitrovica/Mitrovicë South and Graçanicë /Gračanica.

Chairperson Lajčák met with representatives of the institutions in Prishtinë/Priština, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica and Graçanicë /Gračanica, including with Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and Deputy Prime Ministers Behgjet Pacolli and Fatmir Limaj.

He also met with Member of Parliament Slobodan Petrović; Mayor of Prishtinë/Priština Shpend Ahmeti; Mayor of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South Agim Bahtiri and Mayor of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica North Goran Rakić.

In his meetings, Chairperson Lajčák expressed the OSCE’s gratitude for the good relations with the authorities, which have led to joint efforts to consolidate gains made in the areas of democracy, human rights, and good governance. A firm believer in dialogue, the OSCE Chairperson also discussed possibilities for further OSCE support in various areas, including the EU-led normalization dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtinë/Priština, combating unemployment and disenfranchisement of young people, enhancing regional co-operation, and advancing reconciliation.

Moreover, Chairperson Lajčák encouraged the authorities to accelerate efforts to implement reforms, particularly those in relation to the judiciary, corruption and the rule of law, organized crime, and electoral processes, and to make full use of the OSCE’s expert support and technical assistance in these areas.

In meeting with civil society representatives and religious leaders, Lajčák stressed the importance of inter-ethnic and inter-faith dialogue for promoting tolerance and reconciliation among all communities.

To highlight the need to bridge inter-ethnic divides and promote reconciliation of the population on both sides of the Ibar River, the OSCE Chair crossed the main bridge in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, which connects the communities on the North and the South.

Marina Živaljević

Ensuring a gender perspective in legislative drafting was the topic of an OSCE-supported two-day seminar, organized with the support of the parliamentary Gender Equality Committee for the expert service of the parliament of Montenegro, as well as for parliamentarians on 20 and 21 June in Podgorica.

Seven Members of Parliament (MPs) and 25 members of the parliamentary expert service discussed how to introduce and institutionalize a gender perspective inthe legislativedevelopment process, step by step. Participants examined a case study from the European Parliament (EP) on developing a legislative resolutionto balance parental rights in business and private life.

Gender expert Karolina Leaković, a participant in the seminar, reflected that the discussion generated by the examination of this case study demonstrated that the MPs understood and were committed to the inclusion of men in promoting gender equality policies in Montenegro.

“We dealt with the EP resolution concerning the introduction of a mandatory paternity leave in the EU and candidate countries, and we saw how MPs are interested in balancing private and professional issues, and involving family to a greater extent than before. Their dedication is encouraging and I hope that in the legislative process, there will an opportunity to tackle this issue,” said Leaković.

“The issue of gender equality should be dealt withless as an academic endeavour and more as a practical life theme. We strive to achieve equality in the full sense and the parliament has already begun to go in this direction,” said Miodrag Vuković, MP and Chairman of the Constitution Committee.

MP Anka Vukićevićsaid that seminar provided useful information regarding women’s rights in the field of labour. “A few days ago, there was a discussion in the parliament about the mental health of children in Montenegro, which was led primarily by women, meaning that care of the family and health of children is still a ‘women’s issue’,” said Vukićević. She recommended that,as a good practice for future workshops, the participants identify shortcomings in safeguarding gender equality and report on what steps were made in the interim to address such shortcomings.

The two-day training was an activity to raise awareness of gender equality and promote gender mainstreaming as envisaged by the Action Plan for a Gender Sensitive Parliament, which was developed and adopted by the Gender Committee with the support of the Mission and the OSCE Office on Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

VIENNA, 21 June – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir today published the Commentary to the Draft Information Security Concept of Kyrgyzstan for 2019-2023 commissioned by his Office and prepared by Dmitri Golovanov, a legal counsel from the Russian Federation. The Commentary was shared with the Kyrgyz authorities on 22 May 2019.

“I am pleased that the Concept, which was presented to the public for discussion earlier this year, focuses on establishing a modern information environment in which modern communication tools are referenced,” said Désir. “I welcome the priorities set out in the document, in particular, the development of modern information technologies and the domestic telecommunications infrastructure, meeting the needs of the domestic market.”

“However, the legal analysis of the Draft Information Security Concept shows that the authorities must be careful not to oppose the objective of protecting information security to the basic right to freedom of expression and freedom of the media,” Désir added.

The commentary offers a number of recommendations, and is available here (in Russian): https://www.osce.org/ru/representative-on-freedom-of-media/423788?download=true. An English summary is also available here: https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/423791?download=true

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

VIENNA, 21 June 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed his concern about the verdict of the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court, which sentenced journalist Haşim Söylemez on charges of ‘aiding a terrorist organization without being a member’, to 6 years and 3 months in prison.

Söylemez, a former columnist for the (now closed) magazine Aksiyon, was first detained on July 26, 2016, as part of a sweeping purge of journalists and others suspected of involvement in the attempted coup of July 15, 2016. The evidence cited in the indictment was a tweet by Söylemez from 2 June 2016 which according to the prosecutor demonstrates the journalists’ knowledge about the upcoming coup.

“I hope that the second instance court will take into account international principles on freedom of expression and reverse this sentence,” said Desir. “I call on the authorities in Turkey to end their practice of criminalizing speech. Journalism in particular must be safeguarded, not persecuted.”

Söylemez is also accused of being in contact with some users of ‘ByLock’ application which allows encrypted communication. The OSCE participating States, including Turkey, only in December last year adopted new commitments to "refrain from arbitrary or unlawful interference with journalists' use of encryption and anonymity technologies".

“Earlier this month, I travelled to Turkey for an official visit. During my meetings with officials, we discussed the plight of journalism and the troubling situation of a high number of journalists imprisoned for their work,” Desir said. “I offered my assistance, and continue to stand ready to support Turkey in reviewing its legislative framework to bring it in line with international standards and OSCE commitments pertaining to media freedom and freedom of expression.”

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

This report is for the media and the general public.

Summary

• Compared with the previous reporting period, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• It saw military presence inside the Petrivske disengagement area.
• The SMM saw self-propelled howitzers in violation of withdrawal lines near Starolaspa.
• It spotted anti-tank mines near Marinka, some for the first time.
• The Mission saw a fresh crater near a petrol station in Khreshchatytske.
• The Mission facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable repairs to and the operation of critical civilian infrastructure.
• Restrictions of the SMM’s access continued in all three disengagement areas and elsewhere. Its freedom of movement was also denied in non-government-controlled areas of southern Donetsk region at checkpoints near Shevchenko, Nova Marivka, and in Yasne.*

Ceasefire violations[1]

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 70), compared with the previous reporting period (30 explosions). The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded at southerly and south-easterly directions of Chermalyk (government-controlled, 31km north-east of Mariupol) and at southerly directions of the Donetsk Filtration Station (DFS) (15km north of Donetsk).

In Luhansk region, the Mission recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions (about 170), compared with the previous reporting period (about 115 explosions). Almost three quarters of ceasefire violations were recorded in south-easterly directions of Popasna (government-controlled, 69km west of Luhansk).

Disengagement areas[2]

On 19 June, inside the disengagement area near Petrivske (non-government-controlled, 41km south of Donetsk), an SMM long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) spotted a probable infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-1), assessed as belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. [3]

During the day on 20 June, positioned at various locations near the disengagement area near Zolote (government-controlled, 60km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard about 30 undetermined explosions, about 100 bursts and about 30 shots of small-arms-fire, all assessed as within 5km of the disengagement area’s periphery.

On 20 June, positioned in the disengagement area near Stanytsia Luhanska (government-controlled, 16km north-east of Luhansk), the SMM observed a calm situation.

Withdrawal of weapons

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Memorandum and the Package of Measures and its Addendum.

In violation of withdrawal lines:

Non-government-controlled areas

19 June

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted four self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) near Starolaspa (51km south of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites

Non-government-controlled areas

20 June

The SMM saw seven tanks in a training area near Ternove (57km east of Donetsk).

Indications of military and military-type presence in the security zone[4]

Government-controlled areas

18 June

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time a new 70m-long trench running north-west to south-east near Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), near recently observed trench extensions (not seen in imagery from 19 April 2019).

20 June

The SMM saw:

• an IFV (BMP-1) near Zolote;
• an anti-aircraft gun (ZU-23, 23mm) mounted on a truck near Zolote-1/Soniachnyi (61km west of Luhansk); and
• an IFV (BTR-4) near Novobakhmutivka (28km north of Donetsk).

Non-government-controlled areas

19 June

Aerial imagery available to the SMM revealed the presence of four armoured combat vehicles (ACV) near Bezimenne (30km east of Mariupol).

An SMM mid-range UAV spotted four ACVs near Starolaspa.

An SMM mini-UAV spotted:

• 16 IFVs (BMP-1) and three armoured personnel carriers (APC) (one MT-LB and two BTR-70) near Kruhlyk (65km south-west of Luhansk), and
• two APCs (MT-LB) near Zorynsk (54km south-west of Luhansk).

Presence of anti-tank mines near Marinka and a mine hazard sign near Betmanove

On 18 June, an SMM mid-range UAV spotted for the first time 12 anti-tank mines (TM-62) laid out in a single row in a field about 200m south-east of the nearest residential houses on the southern edge of Marinka (not seen in imagery from 23 May 2019). The same UAV again spotted 26 anti-tank mines (probable TM-62) on the northern edge of Marinka, all located 30-50m away from the nearest residential houses (see SMM Daily Report 6 March 2019 and SMM Daily Report 18 March 2019).

On 20 June, the SMM saw for the first time a white mine hazard sign with “Danger, Mines” written in English and “Do not leave the road! The territory alongside the road is mined. In case of emergency, call 101” written in Russian, attached to a post in a median between lanes of road M-04 near Betmanove (formerly Krasnyi Partyzan, non-government-controlled, 23km north-east of Donetsk).

Fresh crater near a petrol station in Khreshchatytske

Following up on reports of shelling at a petrol station on the south-western edge of Khreshchatytske (formerly Krasnoarmiiske, non-government-controlled, 33km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw a fresh crater assessed as caused by a 122mm artillery round fired from a westerly direction, along with a metal fragment assessed as coming from the same artillery round, about 50m south of the petrol station.

SMM facilitation of repairs to civilian infrastructure

The SMM facilitated and monitored adherence to the ceasefire to enable electrical repairs near Zhovte (non-government-controlled, 17km north-west of Luhansk) and Spartak (non-government-controlled, 9km north of Donetsk), as well as repairs to a water pipeline between Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk, government-controlled, 43km north of Donetsk) and Horlivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Donetsk).

The SMM also facilitated the operation of the DFS and continued to monitor the security situation in the area of the pumping station near Vasylivka (non-government-controlled, 20km north of Donetsk).

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre on Control and Co-ordination should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government (for example, SMM Daily Report 12 June 2019). The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

• At a checkpoint on the eastern edge of Shevchenko (non-government-controlled, 69km south of Donetsk), a member of the armed formations again denied the SMM passage westward towards Mykolaivka (non-government-controlled, 39km north-east of Mariupol) after the SMM refused to show its patrol plan.
• At a checkpoint at the southern entrance to Nova Marivka (non-government-controlled, 64km south of Donetsk), an armed member of the armed formations denied the SMM passage to the village, citing “engineering works” in the area.
• While attempting to follow up on reports of shelling in Yasne (non-government-controlled, 30km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM was denied access to a residential area by a member of the armed formations without explanation. Later, a senior member of the armed formations told the SMM that it had been denied for safety reasons due to the area’s proximity to the contact line.

Regular restrictions related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• The sides continued to deny the SMM full access to the three disengagement areas, as well as the ability to travel certain roads previously identified as important for effective monitoring by the Mission and for civilians’ movement, through failure to conduct comprehensive clearance of mines and UXO.

Other impediments:

• On the evening of 19 June, an SMM long-range UAV experienced signal interference, assessed as caused by jamming, while flying over government-controlled areas of northern Donetsk region and non-government-controlled areas of southern Donetsk region.[5]

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of the SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2]Disengagement is foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016.

[3] Due to the presence of mines, including on a road between Bohdanivka and Petrivske, the SMM’s access to its camera in Petrivske remains limited, and thus the SMM has not been able to access observations from the camera since 22 June 2018.

[4] The hardware mentioned in this section is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[5] The interference could have originated from anywhere within a radius of kilometres from the UAVs’ positions.

VIENNA, 21 June 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today deplored the violent incidents and mistreatment of media workers during yesterday’s demonstration in Tbilisi, and said that journalists’ safety must be ensured at all times.

According to reports, on 20 June more than 30 media workers from various media outlets, including from Reuters, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Georgian Bureau, Rustavi 2 channel, Civil.ge, 1TV channel, TV Pirvelli channel, Kavkazsky Uzel, Netgazeti.ge, On.ge, OC Media, Maestro TV, Adjara TV and radio, and Interpressnews.ge, received serious injuries, primarily from rubber bullets fired by riot police, were assaulted, detained or had their equipment damaged while covering a public demonstration in Tbilisi. 

“I deplore all cases of violence and attacks on media workers during last night’s demonstrations in Tbilisi, as serious obstacles to pluralism and media freedom. The media has the right to cover public events, and law enforcement must respect journalists’ right to report in a free and safe manner at all times,” Désir said. 

In particular, the Representative noted reports that a photographer Guram Muradov of Civil.ge received 11 rubber bullet wounds in his back, reporter Tamar Bagashvili with Rustavi 2 suffered from bone fractures, and Giorgi Sulashvili, who provided security to the Rustavi 2 crew, lost an eye and had his jaw bone fractured.

“I call on the Georgian authorities to promptly investigate all incidents involving journalists and bring all those responsible to account under the law,” Désir said. “I also call for urgent measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, by the authorities engaging with media organizations on best practices to ensure journalists’ safety during demonstrations.”

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

423761 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe SDGs SDGs:  16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe organized a roundtable discussion on 10 years of media self-regulation in Tajikistan, its opportunities and challenges on 21 June 2019 in Dushanbe. The event brought together 70 participants, including representatives of the parliament of Tajikistan, chief editors and journalists, as well as international organizations working in the field of media development.

At the roundtable, the participants discussed the three-year strategy and action plan of the Media Council of Tajikistan, which was developed with OSCE support. OSCE experts shared good practices and examples of the merits and nature of media self-regulation and informed them about the functioning of press councils in the OSCE area.

The Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Valeriu Chiveri, thanked the host country for the co-operation in the area of media development in Tajikistan. “Our Office stands ready to support the Government of Tajikistan, civil society and the Tajik people to further improve freedom of speech, media pluralism, and access to information in the country,” he said.

Participants of the roundtable welcomed the OSCE contribution in promoting media freedom and pluralism in Tajikistan. “The goal of the Media Council is to promote freedom of speech and improve the quality of journalism in Tajikistan in line with all international standards. The media must become a platform for discussion of topical issues for a society,” said Shahlo Akobirova, Chairperson of the Media Council of Tajikistan.

423779 Kunduz Rysbek

The annual International Summer School “Sustainable Development of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Member States through Dialogue and Digitalization” is taking place from 18 to 23 June 2019 in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan.

The week-long intensive school is conducted by the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Kyrgyzstan (APAPKR) with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The modules of the school are led by national and international experts and include, but are not limited to, the following topics: leadership and thinking design in the digital era, contemporary risks and threats in cyberspace, analysis of the CIS states legislation in the field of information security, innovation and strategic planning, use of digital tools in the commission of crimes, legalization of criminal proceeds, financing of terrorism and cyberattacks.

The school aims to enhance the role of young people in security sector governance of the CIS region and serves as a unique platform to discuss and better understand issues such as cybersecurity, economic and legal aspects of digital transformation implementation, combating money laundering and terrorism financing (AML / CFT), and further co-operation of the CIS member states in these areas.

Participants of the school include representatives of the Security Council Secretariat under the APAPKR, Master’s Programme students from the APAPKR, the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation, the Academy of Administration under the President of Belarus, the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Kazakhstan, the Institute of Public Administration under the President of Tajikistan, as well as the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Uzbekistan.

This summer school is of particular relevance for Kyrgyzstan in light of the proclamation of 2019 as the “Year of regional development and digitalization of the country.”

Members of the CIS are: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

Colin McCullough, OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan

An OSCE-supported training seminar on the application of the Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) for some 40 government officials and private sector and civil society representatives took place on 21 June in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The event is the first in a series of three seminars organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan in partnership with the Centre for Co-operation for Sustainable Development. 

The participants learned from the OSCE-supported national experts about the requirements of the PRTR Protocol under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)’s Aarhus Convention and national environmental legislation. The activity also aimed to increase the capacity of industrial enterprises to provide up-to-date information on the release of pollutants and align emissions reporting with best OSCE participating States standards in line with Kazakhstan’s declared intention to ratify the protocol before the end of the year.

The PRTR Protocol to the Aarhus Convention was adopted in 2003, in Kyiv, Ukraine and is a legally binding instrument that requires parties to establish publicly accessible registers containing information on the release and transfer of pollutants.

The event will be followed by two workshop sessions in Karaganda and Shymkent later this year. The training seminar is part of the Programme Office’s longstanding efforts to promote international standards of the Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan.

ULAANBAATAR, 21 June 2019 – Efforts that promote tolerance, inclusion, inter-faith and inter-cultural understanding must be critical components of any strategy to prevent and counter violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT), said speakers at the opening of a high-level inter-regional conference in Ulaanbaatar yesterday.

The conference, which focuses on a ‘whole-of-society’ approach to P/CVERLT, brought together some 150 policymakers, civil society and other relevant actors from across Asia and beyond in an inter-regional dialogue.  An emphasis of the conference was the important role of youth in promoting peace and security, an imperative underscored by the recent OSCE Ministerial Council Declaration 3/18.

The conference is organized by the Government of Mongolia in collaboration with the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), with the aim of promoting the development and implementation of effective, human rights-compliant and gender-sensitive strategies and policies to P/CVERLT.

“Inclusiveness is crucial to the effective implementation of any effort in preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism. This cannot be achieved by a single country. The threat is global and the response needs to be global. All States should be aware of an emerging tendency to target and drag nationals of smaller developing countries into drug-trafficking that leads to financing terrorism and money laundering,” said Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Damdin Tsogtbaatar.

The conference contributes to Mongolia’s efforts to promote social cohesion and intercultural, interfaith dialogue in the context of P/CVERLT in the Asian and Transatlantic regions. Over the course of the two-day event, participants will explore the role of youth and local communities, and exchange good practices and lessons learned during the implementation of relevant national action plans.

“Strengthening co-operative actions to prevent and counter violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism creates grounds for more prosperity in all regions,” said the Director of the General Intelligence Agency and National Counter-Terrorism Coordinative Council of Mongolia, Colonel Dorjpalam Gerel.

This is the fourth high-level P/CVERLT inter-regional conference with the participation of the OSCE’s Asian Partners for Co-operation. It builds on the previous conferences that took place last year in Dushanbe, Seoul and Tashkent, which have explored trends, challenges and fresh approaches in P/CVERLT.

“We need to invest in prevention and in a whole-of-society approach that harness the efforts of different segments of all sectors of society. A society that embraces diversity and gives people a say is more resilient to violent extremism. We should see diversity as a strength rather than as a source of conflicts and work towards promoting inclusion rather than exclusion,” said OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger.

The conference follows on from the first-ever High-Level Conference on Counter-Terrorism, held from 28 to 29 June 2018 in New York, which was convened by the UN Secretary-General to strengthen international co-operation to combat the evolving threat of terrorism. It is the second in a series of regional conferences that are taking place around the world to build to encourage governments to discuss and adopt a comprehensive and inclusive approach, involving all parts of society, when implementing national and regional plans of action to prevent and counter violent extremism.

“This Conference today is thus a critical follow-up to these discussions. Its outcomes will contribute to the second high-level conference that the United Nations is convening next year in New York. In a time when the value of multilateralism is being debated in some parts of the world, our coming together here today in Ulaanbaatar is a critical contribution to global efforts to address the scourge of terrorism,” said the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov, who was represented by Rafi Shah, Officer-in-Charge of Policy, Knowledge Management and Coordination Division of UN Office of Counter-Terrorism.

This was echoed by Milan Ciganik, representing the 2019 OSCE Chairmanship, who also stressed the need to understand and address root causes of violent extremism, including poor governance and social and political exclusion.

423548 Kunduz Rysbek

Thirty-two representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s State Border Service from across the country have successfully completed a five-day training course on verification and recognition of falsified documents. The training took place from 10 to 14 June in Osh, and from 17 to 21 June 2019 in Novopokrovka, Kyrgyzstan. It was carried out with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek by two invited experts from Regula, a Belarus-based company that specializes in the production of documents authenticity verification devices.  

The experts, Aliaksandr Lazitski and Mikhail Skachkou, presented various methods of fabrication of documents and banknotes, essential techniques of authenticity verification as well as the use of modern technical devices for these purposes.

“The content of the training is crucially relevant and important in view of external threats to Kyrgyzstan’s security, such as terrorism,” said Lazitski.