Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

Report on the

14th Annual Session in PAWashington, DC

Overview (Photo: Philippe Nobile)

From July 1-5 2005, the Parliamentary Assem- Session continued with addresses by the Head of bly of the OSCE gathered in Washington, DC for the US Delegation Senator Sam Brownback, Presi- it’s 14th Annual Session. Parliamentarians from dent of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Paez Sergio, 51 OSCE states, as well as Mediterranean Partner OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Bricham- States, met to discuss current international security, baut, and OSCE PA Special Representative on economic, environmental and human rights issues, the Gender Issue, Vice-President Tone Tingsgård. and subsequently passed the Washington Declara- In a special ceremony during the Plenary Ses- tion, with recommendations within these fields. In sion on the first day, President Hastings presented honour of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the tenth annual OSCE Prize for Journalism and the Helsinki Final Act, the Session focused on the Democracy to Ukraine Television Channel Five. theme ‘30 Years Since Helsinki: Challenges Ahead’. During the three following days, the three Gen- The Heads of Delegations first met on the morn- eral Committees of the Assembly considered re- ing of July 1 in the Standing Committee, prior to ports and draft resolutions dealing with the Annual the official inauguration of the Annual Session. Session’s central theme, as well as supplementary The Standing Committee approved the budget resolutions on specific topics. Numerous side meet- for the coming fiscal year, and took the decision ings took place throughout the Session, as well as to re-appoint the Secretary General of the As- meetings of the Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committees. sembly. Reports by the President, Treasurer, and On the final day of the Session, the Assembly met Ad Hoc Committees were given, as well as re- in plenary to adopt the Washington Declaration and ports on recent election observation activities. additional documents. The parliamentarians also over- The Inaugural Plenary Session of the Assembly whelming approved an item of urgency calling for heard welcoming addresses by the President of the prompt implementation of recommendations on re- Assembly, US Congressman Alcee L. Hastings, forming the OSCE. Before adjourning, the Assembly Speaker of the US House of Representatives J. Den- also re-elected President Alcee L. Hastings for another nis Hastert, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, one-year term, and Treasurer Jerry Grafstein for anoth- and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Dmitrij Rupel. The er two years, as well as other officers of the Assembly.

- 1 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 Standing Committee Meeting

OSCE PA President Alcee L. Hastings welcomed The Assembly Treasurer, Senator Jerry Grafstein the Heads of Delegations to the meeting of the (Canada) reported that the finances of the Assembly Standing Committee, and gave a short outline of are in excellent order, and that the PA had received his and of the Assembly’s activities since February, a favourable report from its external auditors for the when the Standing Committee last met. Congress- 12th straight year. The Treasurer applauded the effec- man Hastings told Members that he had conveyed tiveness of the Secretariat, and the excellent financial the OSCE PA report on the colloquium on ‘The administration by the Secretary General and Financial Future of the OSCE’ to the Chairman-in-Office. Assistant. Senator Grafstein noted that the Secretari- Members in this colloquium agreed that the OSCE at’s two senior seconded staff members’ secondment terms would soon be ending, but said that the neces- remains a valuable organization, and they further sary changes could be accommodated within the pro- agreed that the crisis in the OSCE is primarily po- posed budget. The Standing Committee subsequently litical in nature. President Hastings stated that if re- approved the proposed budget for 2005-2006. elected as President of the Assembly, he intended to Secretary General Spencer Oliver briefly ad- continue working to ensure that the PA is a reliable dressed the Standing Committee, noting that his partner contributing to the success of the OSCE. He written report had been sent to all delegations. In ad- further hoped to continue providing leadership for dition to this, the Secretary General highlighted the election observation, strengthen dialogue between Assembly’s bulletin ‘News from Copenhagen’ and parliamentarians, and increase co-operation with reports on the various meetings as providing a solid the OSCE governmental dimension. overview of the work done by the OSCE PA.

- 2 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 Reports were given on the work of the Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committees and Special Representatives, as well as on recent election observation missions. US Congressman Christopher Smith, Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues, re- ported on his ongoing work, including efforts at organizing a network of OSCE parliamentarians to facilitate exchanges of best practices in fighting hu- man trafficking. The Chairman of the Assembly’s Parliamentary Team on Moldova, Mr Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland) reported on the work of this Team, updating the Standing Committee on the political situation in Moldova, as well as on proposals for finding a solu- tion to the status of Transdniestria through democra- The Heads of Delegation then heard a report tization. He further remarked on the possibility that by the Sub-Committee which had been appointed the OSCE could organize elections in Transdnies- to consider proposed changes to the Rules of Pro- tria, and informed Members about a planned semi- cedure. As Head of the Committee, Pieter DeC- nar on democratization to be held later in 2005. rem (Belgium) reported that the proposed changes OSCE PA Vice-President Ihor Ostash informed the would be considered within a general review of the Standing Committee of the work being conducted by Rules of Procedure, and that the Committee would the Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus, noting the dis- continue to work, and report to the Standing Com- appointment of the Working Group at Belarus’ failure mittee at a future date. to implement aspects of the agreement reached at the The Standing Committee then took the decision OSCE PA’s Annual Session in Edinburgh in 2004. He to reappoint R. Spencer Oliver as Secretary General informed Members that efforts of the Working Group of the Assembly, for an additional five-year term. in the near future would be focused on the upcoming The Heads of Delegations also voted, on the basis Presidential elections in Belarus in 2006. of consensus-less-one, to approve Spencer Oliver’s Goran Lennmarker (Sweden), Special Representa- appointment of Tina Schøn as Deputy Secretary tive on the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict, gave a brief General. Ms. Schøn is the first woman to hold such outline of his written report, stressing that while the a senior position in the Assembly’s Secretariat. conflict causes hardship to many people and is best The parliamentarians then heard reports on not thought of as a ‘frozen conflict’, there is nonethe- the Tromsø Sub-Regional Conference, held less cause for optimism. He said there was currently a from May 12-14 in Norway, and on prepara- ‘golden opportunity’ for finding a solution, based upon tions for the Assembly’s Autumn Meetings, to European experiences of democracy and integration, be held in Sveti Stefan, Serbia and Montenegro. and urged parliamentary support for this process.

- 3 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 (Photo: Philippe Nobile) (Photo: Philippe Nobile) (Photo: Philippe Nobile)

- 4 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 Inaugural Plenary Session

Opening remarks by the President of OSCE. Several recommendations had been agreed the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, upon, which would be considered by the PA’s ad hoc Committee on Transparency and Accountability. Alcee L. Hastings President Hastings noted that co-operation be- President Hastings welcomed participants, and tween the OSCE and the Parliamentary Assembly thanked the United States Congress for hosting the had increased in recent years, and noted the fight Session in Washington, DC. against anti-Semitism and xenophobia as an exam- The President emphasized that the OSCE must ple of the good co-operation which was develop- adapt to new threats and challenges, and noted that ing – focus on this topic stemmed from a side-event the theme chosen for the Session in Washington, held by the OSCE PA in 2003, and had peaked in ‘Thirty Years Since Helsinki: Challenges Ahead’ the recent OSCE conference in Córdoba. was particularly fitting for discussions on how the President Hastings also briefly highlighted a number organization can appropriately evolve. He recalled of priorities that the Assembly had pursued in the past that he had placed particular focus during his first year. He noted that close interaction with other parlia- year as President towards reforming the OSCE. The mentary institutions had continued, particularly in the Congressman mentioned the joint project that the field of election observation, where the unity of the in- OSCE Parliamentary Assembly had undertaken with ternational community was particularly important. He the Swiss Foundation for World Affairs, which had further noted the importance of the Assembly’s work resulted in a very fruitful debate on the future of the on gender issues, applauded the efforts of the Special Representative on Gender Issues, Ms. Tone Tingsgård, and assured Members that this would remain a priority issue for the Assembly. The President also remarked on the close attention which the Assembly has been pay- ing to economic and environmental issues, and stressed the success of the recent Sub-Regional Conference on the High North, held in Tromsø, Norway. The Congressman expressed his conviction that the OSCE can contribute to relations in the Mediter- ranean area, and also expressed his intention to pay special attention to relations with the OSCE PA’s Asian Partners in his second term as President. Finally, the President thanked Members for sup- porting his work and welcoming him to their coun- tries in his travels to over one-third of OSCE par- ticipating States in the past year.

- 5 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 Address by the Speaker of the US Address by the US Secretary of State, House of Representatives, Condoleezza Rice J. Dennis Hastert Speaker Hastert wel- Secretary Rice wel- comed Members, saying comed the opportunity that it was an honour to to reaffirm US President

(Photo: Philippe Nobile) host the OSCE PA, which Bush’s commitment to the he said had helped develop OSCE. She also noted that economic and social co- the presence of Speaker operation since its found- Hastert attested to the sup- ing. He underlined the im- port of the US Congress to portant contribution that the Organization and it’s parliamentarians can make Parliamentary Assembly. in relations between states, and highlighted the She thanked all of the parliamentarians for their work done by OSCE PA President Hastings in ad- participation in the OSCE PA and support for the vancing the principles of the Helsinki Final Act. OSCE, noting that strong parliaments are important Congressman Hastert stressed that parliaments for upholding fundamental rights and freedoms. have a particular responsibility in promoting and up- Commenting on the 30th Anniversary of the Hel- holding basic freedoms. More specifically, he noted sinki Final Act, Secretary Rice stressed that the link the responsibilities to employ parliamentary legisla- between human rights and security among states, tive powers to ensure states’ safety, as well as to pro- as was recognized in the Final Act, still forms the mote economic growth and opportunity for citizens, basis of the OSCE. She noted that thirty years ago, and a further responsibility towards people around many had feared that Western countries were legiti- the world living without democratic governments. mizing Soviet repression by forming these agree- The Speaker urged focusing attention on the situ- ments. Nonetheless, citizens groups in Eastern Eu- ation within states in the OSCE, such as Belarus, as rope seized upon the Helsinki accord as a way of well as outside of Europe. He said that an international pushing for respect for human rights. The Secretary coalition, including a number of OSCE participating of State remarked that the past thirty years had seen States, had made progress in bringing freedom to Iraq. monumental change within the OSCE region. She He noted in this context that the US House of Repre- stressed the importance of the Helsinki Final Act in sentatives had formed a commission to help emerging this transformation. democracies, and that it would continue to promote Secretary Rice also noted more recent changes freedom and democracy around the world. within the OSCE region, referring to revolutions Finally, Congressman Hastert stressed his con- in Georgia and Ukraine, as well as to the pending viction that working together, parliamentarians Presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan, which she could improve the lives of people across the globe. said hold great hope for the country. Nonetheless, the Secretary also noted that some OSCE states still fail to live up to their commitments. Also, in regards to reform of the organization, the Secretary called for a fresh look at the OSCE agenda, and ensuring that any changes do not com- promise the principles of the OSCE, but rather strengthen its effectiveness. She also reminded par- liamentarians that the Organization plays a pioneer- ing role in some respects, and can help countries and institutions in other parts of the world. Finally, the Secretary of State noted that the gains made by OSCE countries required hard work and urged continued commitment to the principles of the OSCE.

- 6 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 Address by the OSCE Chairman-in- ther work by the OSCE in assisting all Central Asian Office, Foreign Minister of Slovenia, states attain full democracy. Regarding events in Uzbekistan, Minister Rupel Dmitrij Rupel urged Uzbekistan to co-operate with an independent in- The Chairman-in-Office vestigation by the international community into events welcomed the opportunity to in Andijan on May 13. In this context, he also called address the Assembly at what upon Kyrgyzstan to respect commitments towards Uz- he called a dynamic period of bek refugees. The Chairman-in-Office said that he was change for the Organization, encouraged by developments regarding closure of Rus- with a new Secretary General sian military bases in Georgia as well as by the prospects and significant reforms being for peace in Nagorno-Karabakh. He further noted posi- proposed. Referring to the re- tive momentum over settlement of the Transdniestrian cent reports produced by the conflict, and mentioned the possibility of an increased OSCE’s Panel of Eminent OSCE role in this area. Mr. Rupel also discussed the Persons and the OSCE PA Experts Group colloquium, importance of making use of the OSCE’s well-estab- he noted that ideas on reform of the Organization have lished role in Kosovo as the international community now been clearly formulated, and can provide the basis considers the future of Kosovo. for high-level consultations. He urged PA Members to The Chairman-in-Office outlined a number of continue their work to refresh political discussions in priority areas for the OSCE, including counter-ter- the OSCE. rorism work, and fighting intolerance and discrimi- Stressing the continuing relevance of the OSCE, nation, and urged the gathered Members to work in the Foreign Minister noted that recent political events their home parliaments to ensure that participating in some countries had demonstrated the importance States implement their commitments. The Minister of the OSCE’s inclusive character. The Chairman- also noted the emphasis that the Slovenian Chair- in-Office remarked that OSCE work in Kyrgyzstan manship is placing upon migration and integration could be considered a microcosm demonstrating the issues, and urged a closer look at demographic advantages of the organization: establishing rule of trends and population development. The Chairman- law through police assistance; facilitating dialogue; in-Office finished his presentation by urging parlia- electoral assistance; inter-ethnic reconciliation; and mentarians to focus on reforming the OSCE. supporting free media. In this context, he urged fur- Following his presentation, the Chairman-in-Office answered questions from parliamentarians on a range of issues. He welcomed an increasing role for the OSCE in OSCE Reform Addressed observing elections, including in western countries, and supported further consideration of OSCE-organized “As the Chairman-in-Office and the Parlia- elections in Transdniestria. The C-i-O discussed current mentary Assembly take a fresh look at the OSCE events in Central Asia, including on the question of ref- agenda and consider these and other items, pre- ugees in Kyrgyzstan, and the situation in South Ossetia, serving the integrity of Helsinki principles and as well as the future of Kosovo. ensuring that the OSCE continues to be an agent of peaceful, democratic transformation should be paramount objectives. Any new procedures must not come at the expense of principle, and any in- stitutional reforms should be geared to strength- ening OSCE’s ability to produce results on the ground, particularly through its field missions.” US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice

“Your input can stimulate participating States to think ‘outside the box’ and to raise issues that consensus-based bodies may shy away from.” Chairman-in-Office, Dmitrij Rupel

- 7 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 Address by the Head of the He also highlighted efforts to increase democratic US Delegation to the OSCE PA, accountability in multilateral relations, through for example ensuring a parliamentary presence in meet- Senator Sam Brownback ings of the World Trade Organization. The Senator Senator Brownback em- noted that efforts will culminate in the convening of phasized the continuing the Second World Conference of Speakers of Parlia- importance of the OSCE, ment, in New York from 7-9 September 2005. stating that in some re- The Senator reiterated the IPU’s support for the spects, it was most impor- work of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in rep- tant now than ever, given resenting the popular will of OSCE peoples. that positive changes were now possible in many parts Address by the Secretary General of the world. He stressed of the OSCE, that with energy and com- mitment, changes can be made to happen, referring Marc Perrin de Brichambaut in particular to recent events in Georgia, Ukraine On his first official day and Kyrgyzstan. Taking their queue from these as Secretary General of events, countries outside of the OSCE were also the OSCE, Ambassador de making moves towards increased democracy. The Brichambaut addressed the Senator stressed that these changes should be pur- Assembly, and expressed sued with all effort. his hope for continued con- Senator Brownback concluded by reiterating the structive contact with the commitment of the United States to the OSCE and Parliamentary Assembly. to its underlying principles of human rights and de- The Secretary General mocracy. expressed his confidence Address by the President of the Inter- that the OSCE was facing a unique opportunity to adapt its institutions and improve its effectiveness. Parliamentary Union, Ambassador de Brichambaut noted the similarity in Senator Sergio Paez Verdugo, suggestions by the groups considering the future of the OSCE appointed by the Chairman-in-Office and Senator Paez Verdugo the OSCE PA President, respectively. He remarked welcomed the opportunity that these suggestions highlight a number of areas to address the Assembly, in which reform efforts can be concentrated, in or- and noted that the paths der to prepare a programme of reforms before the of the OSCE PA and the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in December. Inter-Parliamentary Un- Secretary General de Brichambaut stressed the ion (IPU) have converged continuing relevance of the organization, noting several times in the past. the importance of the common commitments and He stressed that the OSCE standards which all OSCE participating States have PA was formed following agreed to. Co-operative security remains as relevant a long process in which the IPU was closely in- today as thirty years ago, he emphasized. volved. He further noted the formative role of the Mr. de Brichambaut said that he intends to make IPU in the process leading to the formation of the full use of his mandate as Secretary General, and Helsinki process, over thirty years ago. to contribute to the reform process in the organi- Explaining some of the work performed by the zation. This would include restructuring the Secre- IPU, Senator Paez Verdugo highlighted the techni- tariat of the organization, but the Secretary General cal assistance that the organization provides to new noted that the broader shape of reform would have parliaments in countries such as Afghanistan, Timor- to come first. Finally, Ambassador de Brichambaut Leste and Burundi. Also, the IPU works to support welcomed the input by the parliamentarians, noting the rights of parliamentarians who are persecuted that he was present primarily to listen, rather than for exercising their right to freedom of expression. to speak.

- 8 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 (Photo: Philippe Nobile) (Photo: Philippe Nobile)

- 9 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005

Focus on Gender Issues

On 1 July, during the first day of the Assem- provide the plan with an implementation agenda. She bly’s Session in Washington a great deal of work also mentioned the holding during the last year of two was done on promoting gender issues and gender OSCE conferences on violence against women and equality in the OSCE. the role of women in conflict resolution respectively. The Working Breakfast on Gender Issues, host- Speakers expressed support for the work being done ed by President Alcee L. Hastings, was chaired by by the OSCE PA on gender issues, and Ms. Tingsgård OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues, invited the members of the PA to support the partici- Vice-President Tone Tingsgård. In his welcoming pation of the Assembly in the March 2006 UN Con- remarks, President Hastings reaffirmed his commit- ference on Equal Participation of Men and Women. ment to advancing female representation in the As- During the Plenary Session in the afternoon, the sembly and regretted the slow progress in this regard. Assembly unanimously adopted the supplementary Ms. Tingsgård welcomed President Hastings’ partici- item on Improving the Gender Equality in the OSCE, pation in gender related activities as a very important presented by Ms. Tingsgård. The resolution, which political gesture. Ms. Tingsgård presented the OSCE forms a part of the Washington Document, calls PA Gender Report 2005 and expressed her regret that upon the OSCE Secretary General and participating no substantial progress had been made. States to take positive action to promote the recruit- The breakfast continued with an address by Louise ment of women candidates within OSCE bodies and Mcintosh Slaughter, from the United States House of institutions, especially at higher levels, as well as to Representatives. In her address she pointed out some improve the culture and working conditions in the of the most important developments regarding gen- Organization. In this regard, OSCE PA Delegations der equality achieved by the Women’s Caucus within are called upon to monitor the work of their national the House of Representatives, such as measures to delegations to the OSCE Permanent Council to en- counter domestic violence, increasing research on sure that they promote gender balance. women’s health, combating sexual assault within the In conjunction with this resolution, Ms. Tings- military and facilitating women’s access to family gård presented the OSCE PA Gender Report 2005, planning. OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, commenting that “The conclusions of the Report Beatrix Colijn, briefed the participants on the gender are very discouraging; the OSCE PA has struggled balance situation within OSCE institutions and field for several years to promote gender equality with- missions, noting that although there has been an in- in the OSCE, but the so-called ‘glass ceiling’ still crease in female representation at the professional prevents women from advancing into the leader- level, this indicates a fluctuation rather than a verifi- ship level in the Organization. It seems that all the able trend. She also outlined the main positive aspects good will stops when it comes to implementation.” and challenges of the 2004 OSCE Gender Action Ms. Tingsgård further praised the work of the In- Plan, telling participants that the OSCE’s goal is to ternational Secretariat in preparing the report.

- 10 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005

OSCE Prize for Journalism and Democracy

On July 1 2005, OSCE PA President Alcee L. lution was taking place on the central square of Hastings presented the 10th annual OSCE Prize their capital.” for Journalism and Democracy to Ukraine Televi- “It is my hope that this year’s award will reso- sion Channel Five. Channel 5 was awarded the nate well beyond the borders of Ukraine, remind- Prize for its crucial role in the events of Octo- ing us of the serious deficiency of independent ber-December 2004 in which Ukraine peacefully electronic media in other developing - and de- transitioned to a more democratically-oriented veloped, I must add - democracies in the OSCE and legitimately-elected system of government. area,” said Congressman Hastings. With great courage, the Channel reported inde- In accepting the Prize, Mr. Skrypin echoed pendently at a time when the government was President Hastings’ hopes, saying “Our work is placing strict controls on media coverage, ignor- not done, and we have no intention of stopping ing widespread popular discontent, and working the movement forward. We would like to wish the to manipulate electoral processes. following to the member countries of the OSCE, Presenting the Prize to Mr. Roman Skrypin, particularly the countries from the former Soviet Editor-in-Chief of Channel Five, President Hast- Union: May you enjoy a truly independent media ings said that “These historic events captured the and genuine freedom of speech. For when you attention of the entire world. Had it not been for do, a number of perceived political problems, like the work of Channel 5, many Ukrainians would ‘What to do with a dictatorship’ will dissipate all not have initially been aware that a peaceful revo- by themselves.”

- 11 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 (Photo: David Bohrer)

- 12 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 General Committee on Political Affairs and Security

Under the chairmanship of Mr. Göran Lenmarker fight against terrorism, but warned against fight- (Sweden), the First General Committee on Politi- ing terrorism at the expense of human rights. While cal Affairs and Security discussed a wide range of recognizing the important work carried out by the topics included in the Rapporteur’s draft resolution OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities, such as trafficking in illicit drugs and human beings, Mr. De Crem regretted the continued vulnerability environmental security, illegal migration, border of national minorities and especially women to ex- policing, the fight against terrorism and organized ploitation and violence. Examining environmental crime, human rights, and national asylum admin- security he advocated strengthening the OSCE’s istration. The following Supplementary Items were Environment and Security (ENVSEC) Initiative as a allocated by the Standing Committee to be debated primary framework for closer regional co-operation and considered in the First General Committee: in Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Manage- Terrorism and Human Rights, Moldova, the Situa- ment, which has a trans-boundary nature in itself. In tion in Abkhazia (Georgia), and Terrorism by Sui- addition, he expressed the importance of the reform cide Bombers. of OSCE as regards its efficiency and effectiveness. Also, he highlighted the key role that parliamentar- Report and Resolution ians can play in their respective national parliaments in encouraging their governments to follow up on Introducing his Report and Resolution, the Com- OSCE PA Declarations. After having debated and mittee Rapporteur, Mr. Pieter De Crem (Belgium) highlighted the challenges facing the OSCE region, in particular in Central Asia and the Caucasus. He emphasized the traffic in illicit drugs originating in the so-called Golden Crescent, which poses a secu- rity threat for the OSCE region. He proposed that the OSCE offer a Partnership Agreement to affected non-OSCE members Afghanistan and Pakistan to enhance the multi-dimensional fight against traffick- ing. He also stressed the importance of expanding OSCE assistance in order to improve border policing in OSCE States, in co-ordination with UN efforts. Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of the

- 13 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 voted on the 26 submitted amendments, the Com- mittee adopted the Resolution. The resolution stresses the strong need for the OSCE participating States to comply with the fun- damental principles of international law. It also em- phasizes that the primary responsibility for mainte- nance of international peace and security rests with the UN Security Council. In addition, the resolution advocates measures to enhance dialogue and closer institutional co-operation between the Assembly and the governmental OSCE structures and it en- courages reform of the OSCE as regards its effi- ciency and effectiveness. Furthermore, the Resolu- tion encourages debate on the question of whether After hearing a speech by Mrs. Nino Burjanadze or not the name ‘Organization for Security and Co- (Georgia), principal sponsor of the Supplementary operation in Europe’ still adequately reflects the Or- Item on the Situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, the ganization’s operational scope and reality. Committee adopted the resolution, regretting the Supplementary Items lack of progress in the peace process and support- ing the work of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Abkhazia. In addition, after a debate on the situation in Moldova which included a report from the Head of the OSCE Mission in Moldova, the First Commit- tee adopted a resolution urging all parties to resume, together with the OSCE, negotiations to find a per- manent solution to the problem concerning the sta- tus of Transdniestria. The resolution on Moldova was sponsored by Mr. Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland) who, in his presentation, called for the OSCE to organize elections in the region of Transdniestria. In addition, the resolution expresses the readiness of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Parlia- mentary Team on Moldova to support the efforts of the Republic of Moldova towards settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict, the restoration of the Four supplementary items, two of them related to territorial unity of the country, the contribution to terrorism, were debated and voted on in the meet- the development of democratic institutions in the ings of the First General Committee. region and the observance of fundamental human The Supplementary Item on Terrorism by Suicide rights and freedoms. Bombers, sponsored by Senator Luigi Compagna (Italy) was adopted following debate on the pro- Election of officers posed amendments. The resolution emphasizes that terrorist acts committed by suicide bombers are, for The committee meeting concluded with the all the intents and purposes of current international election of the following officers: law, very serious “crimes against humanity”. The second Supplementary Item related to the is- Chair: Mr. Göran Lennmarker sue of terrorism was entitled Terrorism and Human (Sweden) Rights and was sponsored by Mr. Jeppe Kofod (Den- Vice Chair: Mr. Jean Charles Gardetto mark). This item, which emphasizes the importance (Monaco) of the UN Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), Rapporteur: Mr. Wolfgang Grossruck was adopted unanimously by the Committee. (Austria)

- 14 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 (Photo: Philippe Nobile)

- 15 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and the Environment

The three sessions of the Second General Com- ments, was presented. The amended resolution was mittee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology adopted by the Committee Members. and the Environment were chaired by US Con- In his report to the Committee Mr. Ivanchenko gressman Benjamin Cardin. The Rapporteur, Mr. addressed the economic and environmental chal- Leonid Ivanchenko (Russian Federation) presented lenges to security in the OSCE area. He referred to his report entitled ‘30 Years Since Helsinki: Chal- some of the human needs and challenges that the lenges Ahead’ , which was followed by a general OSCE faces today. The report stresses that the first debate and consideration of the draft resolution and and most important task for the OSCE participating amendments. The Committee also debated five sup- States today is to promote and develop the process plementary items on Small Arms and Light Weap- of integration within new and old European Com- ons, on Maritime Security and Piracy, on the Fight munity members and states as a whole. Despite Against Corruption, on Money Laundering and on some progress in developing relations in the OSCE the OSCE Mediterranean Dimension. region, some participating States still need assist- Report and Resolution ance in carrying out reforms and integrating into the world economy in order to escape possible conflicts During the meetings of the Second Committee, between new and old members. Also, illegal eco- the report ‘30 Years Since Helsinki: Challenges nomic activities, inefficiency of legal institutions, Ahead’ by Rapporteur Leonid Ivanchenko, as well poverty, inadequate application of legal norms and as a draft resolution followed by debates and amend- rules, and other negative factors threaten security

- 16 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005

and stability as well as the state of the environment, highlighted the increasing attention devoted to human health and well-being. In this context, the Mediterranean affairs within the OSCE PA. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is well-placed to Resolution stressed the importance of the co-op- co-ordinate participating States’ activity and pre- eration between the OSCE participating States and vent them from creating new dividing lines and in- the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation in ad- equality both between and within OSCE countries. dressing current global threats to security. The Rapporteur also referred to the recently held The resolution on Money Laundering, presented Sub-Regional Conference in Tromsø, Norway de- by Mr. Roy Cullen (Canada) recognised the fight voted to environmental security in the Artic region, against money laundering as an essential part of the and to the OSCE Economic Forum in Prague which overall struggle to combat the financing of terrorist examined demographic aspects, migration in Eu- activity, trafficking in illegal narcotics and the activi- rope, and national minorities’ issues. ties of organized crime, corruption and tax evasion. The resolution on the Fight Against Corruption, Supplementary Items presented by Mr. Roy Cullen (Canada) addressed the problem of corruption in societies making a The Second Committee dealt with four supple- transition from authoritarian regimes, while re- mentary items in the form of draft resolutions. iterating that no country is free from corruption. The resolution on Small Arms and Light Weap- The resolution urges parliamentarians from OSCE ons, presented by Mr. De Donnea (Belgium) urges States to strengthen their efforts to combat corrup- continued work by OSCE states to combat the illicit tion and the conditions that foster it. spread of Small Arms and Light Weapons, and calls The resolution on Maritime Security and Piracy, for the creation of a follow-up mechanism to assist presented by Mrs. Ineke Dezentjé Hamming (Neth- in the implementation of relevant OSCE decisions erlands) underlined that the safety of international on the matter. trade-routes has a direct effect on the well-being of The resolution on the OSCE Mediterranean Di- all OSCE participating States. The Resolution rec- mension, presented by Mr. Bruce George (UK), ommends OSCE participating States to support the US Regional Maritime Security Initiative and to in- tensify the fight against piracy. Election of Officers

The Committee meeting concluded with the election of the following officers:

Chair: Mr. Benjamin L. Cardin (United States) Vice-Chair: Mr. Leonid Ivanchenko (Russian Federation) Rapporteur: Mr. Roland Blum (France)

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- 18 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions

Under the acting chairmanship of Ms. Cecilia Report and Resolution Wigström (Sweden), the Third General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian The Third Committee opened with a presenta- Questions addressed a wide range of issues includ- tion of the report by the Rapporteur of the Com- ing trafficking in human beings, freedom of the mittee, Senator Anne-Marie Lizin (Belgium). Mrs. press, OSCE involvement in election observation, Lizin underlined that progress must be made with as well as human rights issues in the fight against regard to social rights, such as education, health, terrorism. Also, the Committee debated supplemen- and housing. Mrs. Lizin also argued that the right tary items on Combating Involvement in Traffick- to participate in elections is a key individual right, ing in Human Beings and Sexual Exploitation and and that States must make sure that the procedural Abuse by International Peacekeeping Forces, on the integrity of elections is maintained, as this is the Need to Strengthen the Code of Conduct for OSCE basis of democracy. An OSCE presence is needed Mission Members, on Combating Trafficking in wherever there is a threat to individual rights. In Human Beings, on Improving the Implementation comparison to other organizations, the OSCE has of OSCE Electoral Standards and Commitments achieved notable successes in its efforts to support and the Effectiveness of OSCE Election Observa- individual rights, and to combat the trafficking of tion Activities, and on Funding for the Office for human beings. Senator Lizin further emphasized Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. that individual freedoms, particularly those of jour- nalists, must be improved. She stressed that jour- nalists must answer to the law, but that there should be no laws that penalize journalists criminally, and noted that the stability of democracy in a State can often be measured by the level of freedom of the journalists within its borders. She went on to dis- cuss the problems in identifying what constitutes terrorism, as well as the dangers and difficulties that are associated with finding a definition for it. The rise of the internet was raised as another potentially problematic issue in that it can be used to encour- age violence, as well as for sexual abuse and the exploitation of children. According to Mrs. Lizin,

- 19 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 States have an obligation to police the content that is broadcast from their countries, in efforts to con- trol content that would be detrimental to the rights of individuals. Following a general debate on the report, the Com- mittee discussed, debated and voted on the amended resolution, which was later adopted by the Assem- bly Plenary. The resolution affirms the principle of gender equality, raises the particular vulnerability of children and the corresponding need for greater protection for them, recommends that participating States cease the criminal prosecution of journalists and underlines the important role of political parties in democracies. On more specific issues, the Reso- lution suggests, inter alia, that the Moscow Mecha- the need to outline and address standards and require- nism be considered in response to the actions of Uz- ments of those working in and representing OSCE bekistani authorities in Andijan in May 2005, recalls field missions, and emphasizes the need to uphold the the horrifying massacre in Sebrenica in 1995 and highest ethical standards of integrity, accountability calls on the authorities in the United States to grant and transparency in all OSCE activities. voting rights to residents of Washington D.C. The supplementary item on Combating Traf- ficking in Human Beings, presented by Ms. Doris Supplementary Items Barnett (Germany) emphasizes the continued im- portance of the OSCE’s efforts to eliminate the traf- ficking of human beings, particularly the trafficking of women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation. The supplementary item on Improving the Imple- mentation of OSCE Electoral Standards and Com- mitments and the Effectiveness of OSCE Election Observation Activities, presented by Ms. Liubov Sliska (Russia) and then vigorously debated, em- phasizes the importance of the OSCE in election observation and calls on participating States to ad- here to their election-related commitments. The supplementary item on Funding for the Of- fice for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), presented by Mr. George Voinovich Five supplementary items were also presented, (USA) addressed the present and future funding debated, and adopted by the Third Committee. of ODIHR. The supplementary item on Combating Involve- ment in Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Election of Officers Exploitation and Abuse by International Peacekeep- The following committee officers were elect- ing Forces, presented by Mr. Christopher Smith ed by the Third Committee: (USA), was adopted following certain amendments. The resolution emphasizes the importance of polic- Chair: Ms. Claudia Nolte ing and discouraging any inappropriate activities of (Germany) peacekeeping forces which might aid or encourage Vice-Chair: Ms. Cecilia Wigström the trafficking of human beings. (Sweden) The supplementary item on the Need to Strengthen Rapporteur: Ms. Anne-Marie Lizin the Code of Conduct for OSCE Mission Members, (Belgium) presented by Ms. Carina Hägg (Sweden) emphasizes

- 20 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 (Photo: Philippe Nobile) (Photo: Philippe Nobile)

- 21 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005

Side Meetings

A number of side meetings on topical events were held throughout the Annual Session

Side Meeting on the Mediterranean Finally, Mr. Benjamin Cardin, Chairman of the Assembly’s Second Committee, introduced The Mediterranean side meeting on 2 July was Moroccan Ambassador to the US Mr. Aziz Mek- chaired by Mr. Bruce George, President Emeritus and ouar, who discussed the challenges presented by OSCE PA Special Representative on Mediterranean migration and highlighted poor socio-economic Affairs. Three of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners conditions and lack of opportunities as the main for Co-operation, Algeria, Israel and Morocco, and causes of illegal migration. Ambassador Mekouar a number of parliamentarians from the Mediterra- proposed further development of the southern nean region participated in the meeting. Mr. George Mediterranean countries as the way forward. He welcomed the participants and stressed the need for also denounced the use of stereotypes regarding the Assembly to continue addressing issues of im- Islam and stated that the so-called ‘clash of civili- portance to the Mediterranean region. Ambassador zations’ is in reality a ‘clash of ignorances’, which Bertrand de Crombrugghe, Chairman of the OSCE can be overcome by increased knowledge of each Contact Group with the Mediterranean Partners, gave other. an account of the activities carried out by the Contact Group in 2005, and discussed the prospects for the Side meeting on Abkhazia (Georgia) Annual OSCE Mediterranean Seminar to be held in Rabat in September 2005. Following his presentation, Following the adoption of the resolution on parliamentarians discussed a number of issues includ- The Situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, the OSCE ing piracy, extending the Mediterranean dialogue to PA Ad Hoc Committee on Abkhazia (Georgia) other countries and common security challenges of met with the Georgian delegation to the OSCE PA the Mediterranean countries. to discuss how to proceed to implement the provi- Subsequently, Mr. Ranko Krivocapic, Head of the sions in the resolution. Members of the Georgian delegation of Serbia and Montenegro and Speaker of Delegation reported that nothing has changed the Parliament of Montenegro, gave a presentation with regard to the situation in Abkhazia and they on the Third OSCE PA Parliamentary Forum on the urged the Ad Hoc Committee to undertake new Mediterranean, which will be hosted by Serbia and initiatives. Members of the Committee agreed Montenegro in October in Sveti Stefan. Mr. Krivo- to again attempt to initiate dialogue with elected capic’s presentation was followed by an open debate, officials in Abkhazia (Georgia). They also dis- with parliamentarians suggesting various topics for cussed whether the Committee could learn from inclusion in the agenda of the 2005 Mediterranean efforts undertaken by other international bodies Forum. A number of delegates stressed the need for and agreed that they would study these. In addi- addressing the crucial role of the media, particularly tion, the Members of the Committee decided to the Internet, for spreading ideas of tolerance and mul- circulate their ideas concerning the implementa- ticulturalism, as well as the education of young peo- tion of the Resolution before they have another ple and the sharing of inter-civilization values. meeting in October 2005.

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emphasized the offer of the EU to expand its neigh- Side meeting on the bourhood policy to the Caucasus as an opportunity Nagorno Karabakh Conflict for both Armenia and Azerbaijan to develop eco- On 5 July, OSCE PA Special Representative on the nomically. Furthermore, Mr. Lennmarker stressed Nagorno Karabakh Conflict, Mr. Göran Lennmarker the usefulness of the work done by the Parliamen- hosted a side meeting on Nagorno Karabakh. Held in tary delegations of Armenia and Azerbaijan: he said the form of a panel discussion, it included: Ambas- that “Once a peace agreement has been finalized by sador Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative of the two Governments, the parliamentary dimension the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on the Conflict Dealt becomes invaluable in informing the public and in with by the OSCE Minsk Conference, Ms. Elizabeth ensuring the implementation. It is of utmost impor- Rood, Deputy Director of the Euro-Asian Conflict tance that networks of Members of Parliaments al- Settlements Office in the US State Department and ready exist and stand ready to take on these tasks”. Mr. Lennmarker as Special Representative. Ms. Rood stresssed the interest of the United Side Meeting on Moldova States in finding a peaceful solution to the conflict over the Nagorno Karabakh region and also noted recent positive signs. She encouraged Members of Parliament from Armenia and Azerbaijan to help facilitate preparation for peace among the popula- tion in the two States. Ambassador Kasprzyk intro- duced his mandate within the OSCE and stressed the strong correlation between the negotiations and the situation on the ground at the line of contact. He regretted that in the current ‘no war, no peace’ situation, 20-30 people are killed every year. Af- Members of the Parliamentary Team on Moldova ter having heard the two interventions, participants met on Sunday July 3 for a working lunch, chaired discussed the problems related to preparing the by Kimmo Kiljunen, to discuss current initiatives public for peace in the sensitive post-war period. and future work. In addition to Mr. Kiljunen, the Mr. Lennmarker also presented his report on the meeting was attended by Roberto Battelli (Slove- conflict, stressing that there is now a golden oppor- nia) from the Parliamentary Team; Stefan Secareanu tunity for a peaceful solution based on a win-win (Moldova); Sergiu Stati (Moldova); Oleg Serebrian concept. He emphasized the need for Armenia and (Moldova); Leonid Ivanchenko (Russia); Vice-Pres- Azerbaijan to intensify negotiations on the conflict ident Ihor Ostash (Ukraine); and Ambassador Wil- and stressed that there must be a willingness in both liam Hill, Head of the OSCE Office in Moldova. communities to find a sustainable solution. Mr. Participants discussed the supplementary item Lennmarker listed the different concerns of the par- on Moldova, as well as future work to be under- ties: Armenia’s central concern is security, whereas taken by the Parliamentary Team. Consideration Azerbaijan has a feeling of injustice. He stressed was also given to a proposed seminar on democra- that each side needs to find ways to overcome the tization, to include parliamentarians from Moldo- main concern of the other in order to build a peace- va, Ukraine and Russia, among others, as well as ful common future. In addition, Mr. Lennmarker Members of the Transdniestrian Supreme Soviet.

- 23 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 (Photo: Philippe Nobile)

- 24 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 Second Plenary Session

The Second Plenary Session, Chaired by Presi- reported on her work regarding the US detention dent Hastings, first considered the draft Resolu- facility in Guantanamo, and urged continued pres- tion on Combating Anti-Semitism, introduced by sure on the United States government to close the Gert Weisskirchen (Germany). He stressed the detention centre. Congressman Christopher Smith importance of recognizing the dangers posed by reported on his work in combating trafficking in anti-Semitism, and particularly the importance human beings, and called upon Members to work of increasing education to counter-act growing actively in their home countries to fight traffick- intolerance. Several Members reiterated the im- ing through, for example, holding hearings on portance of the Assembly’s work in combating trafficking. anti-Semitism, and welcomed participation in the recent OSCE Conference in Cordoba, Spain, General Debate dealing with this issue. The Assembly adopted the resolution. The general debate touched on a wide range of The Assembly then heard reports by the Special current issues. Many speakers paid homage to the Representatives on Guantanamo and on Human 30th anniversary of the signing of the Helsinki Fi- Trafficking. Senator Anne-Marie Lizin (Belgium) nal Act. In particular in this regard, Members un- (Photo: Philippe Nobile)

- 25 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 derlined the continued importance, even after thirty the international community had failed to protect years, of a comprehensive approach to security. The many people from severe human rights abuses, benefit of guidance from parliamentarians and the and urged reform of organizations to help rem- positive input of the Parliamentary Assembly to the edy this. The responsibility of the international OSCE was also noted. Another recurring theme in community to protect people meant that some- the discussion was the need for reform of the OSCE times there is a responsibility to intervene, it was – several Members underlined that it was important noted. to press this upon Ministers in participants’ home A number of parliamentarians voiced their countries. Members warned, nonetheless, that re- concerns about the American detention facility forms must be realistic, achievable, and with a view in Guantanamo Bay, expressing support for the to the future. work being done by Senator Anne-Marie Lizin Reform of other international organizations, on this issue. The importance of upholding in- and particularly of the United Nations, was also ternational human rights commitments in the addressed. In reference to tragedies such as the battle against terrorism was underlined by sev- massacre in Srebrenica in 1995 and to ongoing eral parliamentarians. Members also addressed abuses in Darfur, some Members remarked that ongoing frozen conflicts within the OSCE re- gion, and discussed bilateral relations between individual countries. Voting rights and electoral standards were also considered, and the impor- tance of international election observation mis- (Photo: Philippe Nobile) sions was stressed. Members voiced concern over the continued occurrence of sex slavery, as well as other human rights issues such as displaced persons. The need for further progress in achieving gender equality was also stressed by speakers.

- 26 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 (Photo: Philippe Nobile) (Photo: Philippe Nobile)

- 27 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 Closing Plenary Session

President Alcee L. Hastings welcomed participants which was in line with the views of the Ad Hoc to the final meeting of the 14th Annual Session. Committee. It was stressed that the crisis within the The Assembly’s Treasurer, Senator Jerry Graf- OSCE was fundamentally political, and not only stein (Canada) told participants that the Assembly’s procedural. Congressman Hoyer underlined the im- Standing Committee had unanimously approved portance of adjusting the OSCE decision-making the budget for the next financial year. He applauded process and improve transparency through publicly the efficiency of the International Secretariat, which defending any use of a veto. He also noted that both continues to function within budget. Secretary Gen- the OSCE Eminent Persons Group and the OSCE eral Spencer Oliver also briefly addressed the Ple- PA Experts Group had advocated strengthening the nary, informing Members that his written report role of the OSCE Secretary General. Mr. Hoyer had been made available to all delegations, in three urged delegates to advocate the adoption of these languages. The Secretary General further thanked recommendations by their national governments. the United States Congress for their hard work and The participants then considered a matter of ur- generosity in hosting the Assembly. gency on reform of the OSCE. The Assembly adopt- US Congressman Steny Hoyer, Chairman of the ed the resolution calling upon OSCE governments Ad Hoc Committee on Transparency and Account- to begin negotiations on implementing the recom- ability then reported on the work of the Ad Hoc mendations of the Eminent Persons Panel report. Committee. In particular, he discussed recent work The Chairs of the three General Committees by the OSCE PA’s Experts Group Colloquium, gave brief presentations, summarizing the discus-

- 28 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005

sions held in their respective committees, follow- ocratic Institutions and Human Rights. ing which the Assembly agreed to the three General President Hastings thanked all Members for their Committee Resolutions individually, and adopted participation, and described the Session as an un- the Washington Declaration as a whole. qualified success. He urged Members to bring the The Plenary then considered the supplementary Washington Document to the attention of their col- items which had been addressed in the General Com- leagues in their home countries, assuring participants mittees, and adopted resolutions on the following that he would be doing so in the United States. topics: terrorism by suicide bombers; the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia; terrorism and human rights; the Republic of Moldova; small arms and light weapons; maritime security and piracy; the OSCE Mediterra- (Photo: Philippe Nobile) nean dimension; money laundering; the fight against corruption; combating involvement in trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation and abuse by in- ternational peacekeeping forces; the need to strength- en the Code of Conduct for OSCE Mission Members; combating trafficking in human beings; improving the implementation of OSCE electoral standards and commitments and the effectiveness of OSCE election observation activities; funding for the Office for Dem-

Election of Vice-Presidents

Prior to adjourning the 14th Annual Session, it was announced that the following Members had been elected as Vice-Presidents of the As- sembly:

Oleh Bilorus (Ukraine) Pia Christmas-Møller (Denmark) Barbara Haering (Switzerland)

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- 30 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 (Photo: Philippe Nobile)

- 31 - Report on the 14th Annual Session, Washington, DC, 2005 (Photo: Philippe Nobile) (Photo: Philippe Nobile)

- 32 - Programme THE FOURTEENTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY, WASHINGTON, DC, JULY 1-5 2005

All meetings of the Annual Session took place in the J.W. Marriott Hotel, Washington, DC Friday, 1 July Sunday, 3 July 07.00 – 08 00 Time reserved for meetings of various groups 07.00 – 09.00 Time reserved for meetings of various groups 08.00 – 09.00 Working Breakfast on Gender Issues 09.30 - 11.00 General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights 09.30 – 12.30 Meeting of the Standing Committee and Humanitarian Questions • Consideration of amendments 12.30 – 14.30 Lunch break • Consideration of Supplementary Items 14.30 – 16.00 Inaugural Plenary Session: 09.30 – 11.00 General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, • Call to order and opening remarks by the Technology and Environment President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly • Consideration of Supplementary Items • Address by Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert 11.30 - 13.30 General Committee on Political Affairs and Security • Address by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice • Consideration of amendments • Address by the Chairman-in-Office of the • Consideration of Supplementary Items 13.00 - 14.30 Lunch break OSCE, Foreign Minister of Slovenia Dmitrij 14.30 - 16.00 General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Rupel, followed by a question/answer session Technology and Environment 16.00 – 16.30 Coffee break • Consideration of Supplementary Items 16.30 – 18.30 Plenary Session (cont.): • Election of Committee Officers • Address by the Head of the U.S. Delegation, 14.30 - 16.00 General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights Senator Sam Brownback and Humanitarian Questions • Addresses by the Presidents from the invited • Consideration of Supplementary Items 16.30 - 18.00 General Committee on Political Affairs and Security Parliamentary Assemblies • Consideration of Supplementary Items • Address by the OSCE Secretary General Evening Reserved for receptions by Diplomatic missions • Report by the OSCE PA Special Representative on the gender issue followed by a debate Monday, 4 July • Presentation of Prize for Journalism and Democracy • Consideration of Supplementary items 07.00 - 09.00 Time reserved for meetings of various groups 09.00 - 10.00 General Committee on Political Affairs and Security 18.45 Coaches depart from hotels for Reception at the • Consideration of supplementary items National Building Museum • Election of the Committee Officers 21.00 Last coach departs from National Building 10.00 - 12.00 General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights Museum to hotels and Humanitarian Questions • Consideration of supplementary items Saturday, 2 July • Election of the Committee Officers 11.10 - 11.30 Meeting of the Bureau 13.30 - 17.00 Plenary Session 07.00 – 09.00 Time reserved for meetings of various groups • Consideration of supplementary items 09.00 - 11.00 General Committee on Political Affairs and • General debate Security 17.30 - 19.30 Reception at the Library of Congress • Opening remarks by the Chair of the Committee followed by a Concert and Fireworks display at • Introduction of the Draft Resolution by the Rapporteur the United States Capitol • Debate Tuesday, 5 July 09.00 – 11.00 General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment 07.00 - 09.00 Time reserved for meetings of various groups • Opening remarks by the Chair of the Committee 09.00 - 11.00 Election of OSCE PA Officers • Introduction of the Draft Resolution by the Rapporteur 09.30 - 12.30 Plenary Session • Debate • Treasurer’s Report 11.30 - 13.30 General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights • Secretary General’s Report and Humanitarian Questions • Report from the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Commit- • Opening remarks by the Chair of the Committee tee on Transparency and Accountability in the OSCE • Urgent item under Rule 24 • Introduction of the Draft Resolution by the Rapporteur • Consideration of General Committee Resolutions • Debate • Announcement of the results of the election of 12.00 – 14.00 Mediterranean Side Meeting the Assembly Officers 15.00 Excursion to Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate 12.30 Adjournment immediately followed by a reception and Gardens offered by the President of the OSCE PA OSCE Parliamentary Assembly International Secretariat Rådhusstræde 1 1466 Copenhagen K Denmark Telephone: +45 33 37 80 40 Telefax: +45 33 37 80 30 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.oscepa.org