News from Copenhagen

Number 217 Current Information from the OSCE PA International Secretariat 18 April 2007 President Lennmarker visits the European Parliament President Göran Lennmarker by parliamentarians. President Lennmarker with the Head of the EP Election Co- met with the President of the ordination Group, Josep Borrell. Lennmarker briefed the Group European Parliament, Hans- on the OSCE Parliamentary Gert Pöttering and the EP’s Assembly’s perspective on Election Co-ordination Group these issues. All interlocutors - co-chaired by Josep Borrell agreed that political Fontelles (Spain) and Jacek judgement by experienced Saryusz-Wolski (Poland) on parliamentarians must play 17 April 2007 in Brussels. The a central role in observation Election Co-ordination Group missions. President Pöttering is responsible for the election and Members of the Election observation missions conducted Co-ordination Group by the European Parliament. welcomed establishing even The main focus of discussion closer co-operation between was the need for political international parliamentary leadership of election observation by parliamentarians. bodies in election observation. In this regard, the importance Members of the Election Co-ordination Group shared of the international community speaking with one unified their experiences with regard to their co-operation with the voice was underlined. Governmental structures of the EU in election observation Secretary General Spencer Oliver and Deputy Secretary and highlighted the importance of having long term General Tina Schøn accompanied the President on his visit to observations by experts combined with political judgements Brussels, as did Åsa Ekwall from the Swedish Parliament.

Grossruck and Battelli in Zagreb Tingsgaard on Pre-Election Visit in

OSCE PA Vice President Wolfgang Grossruck (Austria) Vice-President Tone Tingsgaard (Sweden) traveled to and the PA’s Special Representative on South East Europe, from 12-13 April 2007 as a part of her leadership of the OSCE PA Roberto Battelli (Slovenia) represented the OSCE PA at the election observation mission to the 12 May elections in Armenia. Sixth Conference of South East Europe Cooperation Process The visit was intended to gain an overview of the ongoing electoral (SEECP) Speakers of Parliament on “New South East Europe; campaign and the preparations for the upcoming elections. Role of the Parliaments”, which took place in Zagreb, Croatia, The visit was closely co-ordinated with a delegation from on April 15 and 16, 2007. the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, and parts of In his statement, Mr. Battelli congratulated and thanked the the programme were conducted jointly. Ms. Tingsgaard met Croatian Chairmanship of the SEECP for their “admirable” with the , Robert Kocharian; the Speaker work. “The guidance of the Chairmanship in instituting the of the National Assembly, Tigran Torosyan; the Chairman of the necessary architecture for co-operation, namely the creation Central Election Commission, Garegin Azaryan; representatives of the basic elements for a Regional Co-operation Council of a wide range of political parties; the OSCE/ODIHR long-term and a Secretary General of the Council, was especially useful. observation mission; and other observer groups. The recognition of the SEECP’s role by NATO and the EU is Ms. Tingsgaard was accompanied by Deputy Secretary testament to its success,” Mr. Battelli said. General Tina Schøn and Press Officer Andreas Baker. He also once again drew the attention of the participating The Chairman of the CEC demonstrated voting Speakers and Presidents of Parliament to the upcoming events procedures to Vice-President Tingsgaard organized by the OSCE PA in the framework of its chairmanship of the Parliamentary Troika of the Stability Pact. The future of regional cooperation in South East Europe after the handing over of the Stability Pact to the countries of the region at the end of this year was widely discussed. The delegation was accompanied by Ambassador Andreas Nothelle from OSCE PA’s Vienna Liaison Office and by the Secretary of the Austrian PA Delegation, Lukas Mussi.

For further information: Secretary General R. Spencer Oliver, Director of Communications Klas Bergman, or Press Officer Andreas Baker, E-mail [email protected], Tel: +45 33 37 80 40, Fax: +45 33 37 80 30.