OSCE PA delegation meets with Georgian President, visits IDP camp
Kicking off a week-long visit to the South Caucasus, an OSCE PA delegation led by President Joao Soares and including President Emeritus Goran Lennmarker met on 9 March in Batumi with the President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili.
In the capital Tbilisi, the delegation met with representatives from the Georgian government and parliament as well as from political parties and civil society.
The PA delegation was pleased to hear the reconfirmation by all Georgian interlocutors of their commitment to find peaceful solutions to the situation in the two conflicts and their rejection of any military solution.
“I believe in the role that the OSCE played and can continue playing in the region,” said President Soares while encouraging the Georgian authorities to continue democratic reforms and increase the level of political dialogue in the country
Despite certain positive steps, Tajikistan’s parliamentary elections failed to meet many key OSCE commitments
The observers noted that higher-level election commissions were more inclusive than in previous elections. But they also highlighted serious irregularities on election day, including a high prevalence of family and proxy voting and cases of ballot box stuffing. The election law included significant shortcomings such as insufficient guarantees for an inclusive and pluralistic composition of election commissions and lack of safeguards relating to voter registration, campaigning and election day procedures. OSCE PA President reconfirms OSCE assessment of Albanian parliamentary electionsVIENNA, 18 February 2010 – On 17 and 18 February, in Vienna, OSCE PA President Joao Soares met with Jozefina Topalli, Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, as well as Edi Rama, leader of the Socialist Party, and other senior elected officials. Following these meetings President Soares today reconfirmed his support of the OSCE assessment of the 28 June parliamentary elections. The OSCE's preliminary post-election statement on 29 June 2009 assessed the elections to have demonstrated improvements, but also noted that violations persist. “The OSCE mission was headed by a very experienced PA Vice-President Wolfgang Grossruck. While noting improvements, he and his team outlined a number of important issues that need to be addressed. Allegations of fraud put forward by the opposition should also be looked at,” said Soares. | OSCE PA's Winter Meeting closes with debate on AfghanistanNearly 50 parliamentarians participated in the special debate on the situation in Afghanistan during the second day of the OSCE PA’s ninth Winter Meeting held in Vienna on 18-19 February. The debate was introduced by OSCE PA Vice-President and Head of the Kazakh Delegation Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Michel Voisin who serves as the Assembly’s Special Representative on Afghanistan and as head of France’s delegation to the OSCE PA. Mr. Tokayev noted that the Kazakh Chairmanship has made stabilizing Afghanistan one of its top concerns. He said that “one of Kazakhstan’s main priorities for this Chairmanship of the OSCE is to enhance the Organization’s role in the international efforts to rehabilitate Afghanistan.” Mr. Voisin lamented that “coalition forces have not been able to provide adequate security, which has led to a crisis of faith.” He called for greater focus in fighting corruption and tackling poverty, both of which are necessary to combat drug trafficking. The special debate on Afghanistan was the main highlight of the Winter Meeting, which also included meetings of the three General Committees and a meeting of the Standing Committee. Addressing the Standing Committee, OSCE PA President Joao Soares reported on the recent election observation mission to Ukraine and Treasurer Roberto Battelli spoke on the financial health of the Secretariat.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office calls for effective co-operation with OSCE parliamentarians
Speaking at the start of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Winter Meeting, Saudabayev said parliamentarians played a valuable part in the dialogue between participating States, and noted that He also emphasized their role in election monitoring - most recently in Ukraine - as well as in efforts towards resolution of protracted conflicts in the South Caucasus and with the Transdniestrian settlement process.
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