Ukraine to hold OSCE Chairmanship in 2013November 23, 2010 - 20:12 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Ukraine will hold the OSCE Chairmanship in 2013, foreign ministers from the 56 OSCE participating States decided today. The decision was taken by the required consensus in a silence procedure. Kazakhstan chairs the OSCE in 2010, and Lithuania will chair the Organization in 2011. Ireland will hold the 2012 OSCE Chairmanship. The Chairperson-in-Office is the foreign minister of the country that holds the Chairmanship. Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister and Secretary of State Kanat Saudabayev is the current Chairperson-in-Office. "I sincerely congratulate Ukraine on the occasion of being awarded the esteemed OSCE Chairmanship in 2013. We wish our Ukrainian partners and friends success in the implementation of this responsible mission and the proper continuation of efforts of previous Chairmanships to strengthen and develop the OSCE in light of new geopolitical realities," Saudabayev said, OSCE press service reported. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |