Kozhara promises promote OSCE activities in national minorities issues

Foreign minister of Ukraine, chairperson-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Leonid Kozhara intends to contribute to the OSCE work, which deals with ethnic minorities. According to the Foreign Ministry's information policy department, Kozhara said this in his congratulatory message to Finnish politician Astrid Thors on appointment to the post of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities.

In welcoming the appointment, Kozhara reiterated his full support for the High Commissioner. "I look forward to future cooperation with the Commissioner Thors, who has considerable experience in matters relating to minorities. She can count on my continued support in her work," the minister noted.

Kozhara emphasized that the preventive diplomacy activities of the High Commissioner, aimed at maintaining peace and stability in the region, are based on the principles of independence, impartiality and confidentiality.

Three-year term of Thors’s office will begin on August 20, when she will replace the current High Commissioner, whose mandate ends on August 19 of this year

"Due to the fact that the High Commissioner Vollebaek steps down after a month, I want to thank him for effective performance of his duties, aimed at early warning and urgent action in tensions related to national minorities," Kozhara concluded.