At the online meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, Permanent Representatives of the Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Republic of Serbia, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan to the OSCE made a joint statement on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of Victory in World War II.

"This year we are celebrating a remarkable anniversary – 75th anniversary of Victory in World War II. The topicality of this important theme on the OSCE agenda was confirmed by the adoption of a joint statement by the foreign ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan at the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Bratislava on December 6, 2019".

World War II was a horrible tragedy that took tens of millions of lives in many parts of the world and a major humanitarian disaster in human history.

We are paying tribute to the memory of all those who died in the struggle against the Nazis, their allies and accomplices, which committed heinous crimes. We are referring to those who took part in the warfare, the member-states of the anti-Hitler coalition, the guerrillas, the members of the underground, the victims of the Holocaust and the Nazi plan Ost on destroying the population of Eastern Europe and the USSR.

The victory over Nazism symbolises the selfless and heroic struggle to protect the freedom and independence of our people. It is a triumph of justice, humanism and the general good. The more time passes after the war, the more obvious it is becoming that the Great Victory has an enormous historical significance for drafting the principles of international law, preventing serious threats and challenges to security and curbing the growing manifestations of Nazi ideology, extremism and xenophobia.

We consider it particularly important to cherish the historical truth about World War II and prevent the revision of its legal results, in particular, with due consideration for the goals and principles of the UN Charter and the decisions of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg. We recognise the importance of the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide as a major international instrument.

At the same time, this truth is beginning to be forgotten and often distorted for political considerations. Monuments to soldiers-liberators are being destroyed and neo-Nazi views and right-wing radical ideas are being forced on the public.

We would like to recall that celebrations in honour of the heroes that worked for victory on the battlefields and on the home front are a common contribution to preserving the historical truth of the feat of our peoples and the price all of us paid for peace and progress. Therefore, it is important to display responsibility as regards commitments on preserving war memorials, monuments, memorial signs and cemeteries with soldiers who died for the liberation of European and Asian countries.

We urge the international community to resolutely oppose the reinstitution of Nazi ideology, the propaganda of racism, extremism, ethnic, racial and religious hatred, xenophobia and related intolerance in all manifestations and forms.

The lessons of this horrible war must remain a moral guide and the driving force for all progressive humanity. This is also a warning that the outbreak of a new world war is unacceptable since it could be the last battle for humanity.

We note the unifying potential of this theme and the need to further confirm its presence on the OSCE agenda. We advocate a broad international dialogue based on equality and mutual respect with a view to strengthening international security and trust.