Chief Monitor of OSCE SMM welcomes extension of mission mandate for another year

Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), Ertugrul Apakan, has welcomed the extension of the SMM’s mandate for another year.

His statement has been posted on the organization’s website.

“I thank our host country Ukraine and the other participating States for their continued support and confidence in the OSCE SMM,” the Chief Monitor said.

He noted that this support gives an opportunity, in particular for more than 700 SMM monitoring officers, “to continue, with strengthened security mitigation measures, to work for peace, stability and security in Ukraine.”

Apakan also stressed that the consensus decision of the OSCE’s 57 participating States “constitutes both a continued commitment to the people of Ukraine and an endorsement of the Mission”.

As Ukrinform earlier reported, on March 22, a mandate of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine was extended until March 31, 2019.

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