Tag: Press Release

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2024.

Ambassador Holland thanks Austria’s Court of Audit for their professional work as External Auditor, and underlines the importance of the urgent adoption of the 2024 Unified Budget.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

The United Kingdom thanks the Secretary General, and representatives of the Austrian Court of Audit and the Audit Committee for their presentations today and their comprehensive reports.

The External Auditor and Audit Committee reports provide an important overview of the OSCE’s financial health, and a useful oversight of the organisation’s administration and internal controls. We recognise that the audit assessments have been made in the context of significant ongoing challenges, including the impact of Russia’s illegal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, the continued non-agreement of the OSCE Unified Budget, and the gap prior to the appointment of the current External Auditor.

The UK welcomes the unqualified opinion of the External Auditor that the OSCE’s financial statements for 2023 presented fairly the financial position of the organisation. We appreciate the professional work of the Austrian Court of Audit in this role, particularly having taken this on at such short notice. We hope you will be able to consider an extension beyond September.

Madam Chair, the Reports and presentations this morning further underline that approval of the Unified Budget remains one of the most pressing issues facing this organisation. As, the Financial Report states, the lack of budget approval is continuing to damage the reputation of the OSCE, and the lack of an updated and approved Post Table hampers the organisation’s ability to deliver its mandate.

The United Kingdom deeply regrets that successive years of non-agreement of budgets have left the OSCE’s finances in such a parlous state – constrained by monthly allotments and uncertainty, amid high levels of inflation and rising costs. It is now almost three years since the agreement of the 2021 Unified Budget – which was itself agreed 8 months late. Such unacceptable delays are primarily due to political will, and the use of the budget as a political tool by some participating States.

The UK again urges the swift adoption of the 2024 Unified Budget, and for participating States to engage constructively, pay their arrears, and ensure the OSCE is able to carry out its work effectively in line with the OSCE principles we have all signed up to.

We commend the OSCE executive structures for your ongoing work to adapt to the financial challenges facing the organisation, and for helping to maintain continuity of business. We also appreciate the leadership and tireless efforts of successive Chairs-in-Office – North Macedonia and Malta – towards reaching agreement.

Thank you again to the Austrian Court of Audit and the Audit Committee for the comprehensive reports. As always, the UK looks forward to engaging constructively on the report recommendations.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2024.

Following the sentencing of Vadym Golda, a member of the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission, Ambassador Holland condemns Russia’s detention and treatment of OSCE officials in Ukraine.

Thank you, Mister Chair.  We join the Chair-in-Office and the Secretary General in unequivocally condemning the sentencing last week of Vadym Golda to 14 years in prison.

The detention and treatment of Vadym and his colleagues from the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine are a violation of well-established international principles, including the Helsinki Final Act.  These are there to keep our fellow citizens safe when they are fulfilling their responsibilities under an international mandate. What is more, these are our colleagues.  Russia’s actions set a terrible precedent which should be of grave concern to us all.

Madam Chair, I repeat my government’s sincere gratitude to the brave women and men of the SMM in Ukraine. They performed their OSCE-mandated roles with integrity and professionalism.

The unlawful detention of our colleagues is truly shocking. The suffering that they and their loved ones are enduring remains a constant concern to us.

We call on Russia to end the unlawful detention of Vadym, Maxim and Dmytro and that of all Ukrainian citizens it has illegally detained. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2024.

Tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine: UK statement to OSCE.

Thank you, Mister Chair.

Yesterday we marked the tenth anniversary of the downing of Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine and the deaths of 298 innocent people from 17 countries, including 10 British nationals. The United Kingdom expresses its deepest condolences to all those who lost their loved ones.

The United Kingdom reiterates its full support for the efforts to pursue truth, justice and accountability, and to provide answers for the friends and families of those who so tragically died. We are grateful in particular for the work and dedication of the Joint Investigation Team.

The conclusion of the trial in the Netherlands at the end of 2022, and the conviction of three individuals for murder in relation to the downing of MH17, was an important step in securing justice for the families of the victims. However, this process has not run its course.

The downing of MH17 was a shocking violation of the international norms which keep our societies safe. All States have a responsibility to cooperate in full with efforts to establish accountability. The United Kingdom deeply regrets the Russian Federation’s decision to withdraw unilaterally from ICAO proceedings on MH17 and we continue to call on Russia to cooperate in full with efforts to establish accountability so that justice can be fully delivered.

Thank you, Mister Chair.