Donetsk, Apr 8 - DAN. A draft decision to terminate the activities of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in the DPR has been prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPR, said the head of the Ministry Natalia Nikonorova.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared a draft decision, in particular, this is a draft resolution of the State Defence Committee on the termination of the OSCE SMM activities and the recognition of the extension of its activities on the territory of the DPR as impermissible,” Nikonorova said.

She expressed hope that in the near future, the draft document would be reviewed and adopted by the State Defence Committee. 

The minister explained that since March 31, the presence of the OSCE SMM in the DPR has "vague legal grounds." This is due to the fact that the foreign personnel of the mission have left the Republic, but contracts with local employees have been extended for a year - until March 31, 2023. In addition, at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, no consensus was reached on the future of the mission in the region.

“Accordingly, the status and legal grounds for extending the activities of the OSCE SMM on the territory of the DPR are unknown,” Nikonorova said. 
“We are open for a dialogue, the OSCE knows about it, there are official ways of applying, there are designated officials, but the OSCE does not engage in official contacts,” the minister added. *ot