Special Representative Visits
Efthymiou, Soares meet OSCE Chair-in-Office in Dublin
DUBLIN, 1 February 2012 -- OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Petros Efthymiou expressed support today for the Irish Chairmanship agenda, including internet freedom and conflict resolution, during a meeting with Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore.
The Assembly's Special Representative on South Caucasus Joao Soares and Secretary General Spencer Oliver joined President Efthymiou in the meeting with Gilmore to discuss common goals to further the OSCE's comprehensive approach to security. Frank Cogan, chair of the OSCE Task Force, also participated in the meeting.
Coruz and Ferrier discuss rule of law and migration in Ukraine visit
COPENHAGEN, 1 March 2012 – Third Committee Rapporteur Coskun Coruz and Special Representative on Migration Kathleen Ferrier visited the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, Amb. Lubomir Kopaj, 20-22 February to discuss rule of law and migration. In meetings with Amb. Kopaj and two Ukrainian Supreme Court judges they discussed the independence of the judiciary in Ukraine and OSCE projects to train judges.
Coruz and Ferrier, members of the Dutch OSCE PA delegation, also met with representatives of several NGOs, including the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, the International Renaissance Foundation and the East Europe Foundation, to discuss their work in capacity building for political parties and local governments. They also met with media representatives to discuss freedom of the media and with the African Center to learn about the situation of African migrants in Ukraine.
Despite requests, Coruz and Ferrier were not granted permission by Ukrainian authorities to visit Yulia Tymoshenko in prison.
OSCE parliamentarians meet on labour migration in Tajikistan
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, 16 April 2009 -- A regional parliamentary seminar on labour migration took place 16 April in Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe. The seminar was jointly organized by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliament of Tajikistan with the support of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.
Legislators from several OSCE States participated, including Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Finland, Norway, Poland, France and Germany. Participants discussed regional labor migration issues, with particular attention paid to the effects of migration on the region in the context of the current financial crisis.
Managing labor migration on a regional level was discussed, as well as aspects of trafficking in human beings. The seminar touched on legislative reforms, regional frameworks and policies of host countries. Special emphasis was placed on the protection of workers' rights.
2010 Trans-Asian Parliamentary Forum
Under the theme "The OSCE Eurasian Dimension," the Second Trans-Asian Parliamentary Forum, organized jointly by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was successfully concluded on 15 May.
Over 100 parliamentarians from 35 OSCE participating States and Mediterranean partner countries, as well as parliamentarians from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Qatar, participated in the Forum during which the high points were two special sessions with lively discussions on Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Parliamentary representatives from the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the Turkic-speaking countries (Turk-PA) also participated.
Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission releases final report
COPENHAGEN, 3 May 2011 -- The public report released yesterday by the International Independent Commission for Inquiry into the events in southern Kyrgyzstan sheds new light on the tragic events of last summer, OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou said today.
"I strongly support the work of the Independent Commission headed by Kimmo Kiljunen, President Efthymiou said. "Nothing can undo the suffering or bring back the lives lost, but we are fortunate that Mr. Kiljunen and his team have worked so diligently and objectively to shed light on the historic and painful events of last June. This report should bring new clarity to what lies behind those tragic events, and I hope that the authorities and people of Kyrgyzstan will be able to use this report to make needed progress."
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has offered its political support to the Independent Commission since Mr. Kiljunen was first asked to lead the independent inquiry. A long-time Member of the Parliamentary Assembly, and former Vice-President, Mr. Kiljunen has also served as OSCE PA Special Representative for Central Asia.
Kiljunen wraps up investigation into Kyrgyzstan violence
COPENHAGEN, 3 February 2011 -- Kimmo Kiljunen, the OSCE PA's Special Representative for Central Asia, said last week that the International Independent Commission for Inquiry into the June interethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan has completed its field work.
Having led this Commission since October, Kiljunen said that its work is based on over 700 interviews and statements by victims and witnesses. The final report is expected to be published by early March of this year. Emphasizing the objectivity of the Commission, Kiljunen said he hopes that its report will help mend relations between local Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in the Osh and Jalal-Abad regions.
Kiljunen will comment on the Commission's work at the OSCE PA's Winter Meeting in Vienna, where Kyrgyzstan will be discussed in the First Committee on 24 February, as well as report to the Standing Committee meeting on 25 February.