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UPDATED: 04 Dec 2008 GMT
  • OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb (on screen), opens the 16th OSCE Ministerial Council in Helsinki on December 4, 2008. (photo: OSCE/Mikhail Evstafiev) The 16th OSCE Ministerial Council

    The 16th OSCE Ministerial Council is held in Helsinki, Finland on December 4 -5, 2008. The Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE. At the Ministerial Council, the Foreign Ministers of OSCE participating States review and assess the activities of the Organization.

    Also: Ministerial Council website
  • Ambassador Audrey Glover (center), head of the OSCE Election Observation Mission to the U.S. presidential election speaks to journalists in Washington, D.C., Nov. 5, 2008. (photo: Courtesy Yuri Gripas) OSCE Observers report on U.S. Election

    OSCE election experts called the U.S. election held November 4 “a genuinely democratic vote” that reflected the essential principles of a pluralistic democracy. Observers from 20 OSCE participating States monitored the vote. The OSCE monitors voting in its 56 participating States.

    Also: Report from OSCE PA observers
  • OSCE military monitoring officers from the Mission to Georgia at a Russian checkpoint, September 2008. (photo: OSCE/David Khizanishvili) U.S. Statements on the Situation in Georgia

    Russia's invasion of Georgia and its recognition of Abkhazian and South Ossetian independence contradicts longstanding support of the international community, including the OSCE's, for Georgia's territorial integrity and violates key principles of the Helsinki Final Act, and risks destabilizing the broader region.

    Also: Update on Georgia Talks in Geneva
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Regional News
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The OSCE Website
Learn more about the OSCE

Ambassadors Bernard Fassier (France), Matthew Bryza (U.S.) and Yury Merzlyakov (Russia), the Co-Chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group. (photo: OSCE/Mikhail Evstafiev)

OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs Statements

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U.S. Helsinki Commission
Compliance with Helsinki Final Act

LATEST OSCE CONFERENCES & EVENTS
Julie Finley, Ambassador to the OSCE

"the United States has treated you ... to a front row seat to watch democracy"
At the Permanent Council on November 6, Ambassador Julie Finley informed OSCE participating States of the outcome of the US elections.

OSCE flags in front to the Hofburg in Vienna. (photo: USOSCE)

Symposium "Helsinki to Helsinki: The Future of the OSCE"
On October 15, Assistant Secretary David J. Kramer participated in a panel discussion on the future of the OSCE at a symposium co-sponsored by the Finnish Embassy in Washington , DC and the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins University SAIS.

2008 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting held from Sep. 29 through Oct. 10
The annual HDIM brings together hundreds of government representatives, human rights activists, and international experts from the OSCE region to benchmark progress of governments in meeting their mutually-agreed human rights and democracy commitments.

Diana Marvin, Senior Advisor VCI/CCA, Dept. of State and U.S. Chief Arms Control Delegate Hugh Neighbour, Chairman of the Open Skies Consultative Commission (photo: USOSCE)

500th Open Skies Observation Flight took off on August 20
The 500th military-observation flight under the Open Skies Treaty was flown on August 20, 2008. This remarkable achievement was celebrated, under US Chairmanship, already on July 14 by representatives from the 34 States Parties to the Treaty.

Ambassador Finley with Vienna American International School student diplomats (photo: USOSCE)

First-ever Model OSCE conference took place in Vienna, July 5-7
At the first-ever Model OSCE conference about 140 young people from 30 OSCE participating States learned about OSCE structures and decision-making processes by playing the roles of delegations and OSCE officials. Ambassador Finley participated in a panel discussion.