OSCE Chair-in-Office announces visit of Personal Envoy and High Commissioner on National Minorities to Crimea

Bern 27 February 2014 - OSCE Chair in Office and Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter has expressed his serious concern at on-going developments in Crimea and announced a visit by his Personal Envoy Tim Guldimann and OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors within the coming days.

"I urge everyone concerned to exercise responsibility and caution in this precarious situation, and call on all sides to take all necessary measures to avoid further escalation and refrain from violence, “ Burkhalter said.

The Personal Envoy received strong support for an OSCE role in overcoming the crisis by the various parties he met during the last three days. The Envoy and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors will travel to Crimea in the next few days to bring their skills and expertise to bear on the situation. Successive High Commissioners have been engaged in Ukraine since the early 1990s.