Italy took over chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) from Austria on January 1, 2018, and promised to continue efforts to implement the Minsk agreements, reads a statement posted on the OSCE website on Monday, January 1.

"The crisis in and around Ukraine has called into question the very principles on which the OSCE is based. Italy will continue to support all OSCE efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict and urges the sides to fully implement the Minsk agreements," Italian Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Angelino Alfano said.

He said that Italy would also continue strengthening the OSCE's work to address other protracted conflicts through the existing formats: the Geneva International Discussions on dealing with the consequences of the 2008 conflict in Georgia; the 5+2 Transdniestrian settlement talks; and the work of the Minsk Group and the efforts of its three Co-Chairs in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Alfano noted that "strengthening multilateralism as an instrument to relaunch the 'spirit of Helsinki' and to further promote peace, security, stability and cooperation" was Italy's key priority for its 2018 OSCE Chairmanship.

The statement also says that the motto of the Italian OSCE Chairmanship will be "Dialogue, Ownership, Responsibility."

Alfano will present Italy's priorities to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on January 11.