On January 1, 2018, the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe passed from Austria to Italy. According to the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Angelino Alfano, Rome is planning to make the main emphasis on resolving the crisis with refugees in the Mediterranean region.

In addition, according to Alfano, much attention will continue to be paid to the settlement of the situation in Eastern Ukraine. The conflict in the Donbass and around Ukraine "calls into question the fundamental principles on which the OSCE is built," stressed Alfano.

Italy, as well as its predecessors in this post - Germany and Austria, will insistently insist on "full implementation of the Minsk agreements," he added..

The Minister will present the exact program with the list of priorities of the Italian presidency on January 11 at the OSCE meeting in Vienna.