report

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 20th Annual Session Belgrade

Strengthening the OSCE’s Eff ectiveness and Effi ciency – A New Start After the Astana Summit 20th Annual Session  Report REPORT ON THE 20TH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

CONTENTS

Summary ...... 1 Belgrade Declaration ...... 2 Inaugural Plenary Session ...... 4 Standing Committee ...... 10 General Committee on Political Affairs and Security ... 12 General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment ...... 14 General Committee on , and Humanitarian Questions ...... 16 Closing Plenary Sessions ...... 18 Officers of the Assembly ...... 22 General Committee Officers ...... 25

2 20th Annual Session  Report

Summary

Hosted by the Serbian , the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 20th Annual Session took place at the historic Sava Centre in Belgrade from 6 to 10 July 2011.

he 20th Annual Session of the OSCE Par- Offi cers to one-year terms on 9 July. In the Tliamentary Assembly was held from 6 to General Committee on Political Affairs and 10 July 2011 in Belgrade, Serbia, under the Security, Karl-Georg Wellmann (Germany) theme of “Strengthening the OSCE’s Effec- was re-elected Chair; (), tiveness and Effi ciency – A New Start After the Vice-Chair and Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene Astana Summit.” It concluded with the elec- (Lithuania), Rapporteur. tions of Assembly Offi cers and the adoption of The General Committee on Economic the Belgrade Declaration. Affairs, Science, Technology and Environ- Parliamentarians from across the OSCE ment elected Serhiy Shevchuk () as region voted on 10 July to pass the Belgrade Chair; Bruce Hyer (Canada), Vice-Chair; and Declaration, a political document fi lled with Tony Lloyd (United Kingdom), Rapporteur. recommendations for national and In the General Committee on Democracy, the Organization for Security and Co-opera- Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, tion Europe on economic, security and human Matteo Mecacci (Italy) was elected Chair; rights issues. Alain Neri (France), Vice-Chair; and Coskun “This Belgrade Declaration should remind Coruz (Netherlands), Rapporteur. us all that the best days of the OSCE are Vice-Presidents were elected to three-year ahead of us,” said President Petros Efthymiou terms on the fi nal day. Wolfgang Grossruck (Greece). “Since the beginning our region (Austria) was re-elected, while Walburga Hab- has constantly changed, and now it is impera- sburg Douglas (Sweden) and Tonino Picula tive for the OSCE to change as well. We look (Croatia) were elected after having served as forward to governments, parliaments and the Chair of the Third Committee and Rapporteur OSCE implementing these recommendations.” of the First Committee, respectively. Parliamentarians re-elected President Efthy- Several meetings were held on the margins miou to a second one-year term on the fi nal of the Annual Session, including a side meet- day of the Session. Treasurer Roberto Battelli ing on Belarus, a bilateral Armenian-Azerbai- (Slovenia) was re-elected to a two-year term. jani meeting, a working lunch on gender issues The three General Committees elected new and an event on organ traffi cking. 1 20th Annual Session  Report

Belgrade Declaration

t the close of each Annual Session, the AAssembly adopts a Declaration with recommendations in the fi elds of political affairs, security, and economic, environmental and human rights issues, represents the collective voice of the OSCE parliamentarians OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou and helps shape OSCE and national policy.

SCE parliamentarians voted on 10 July Oto pass the Belgrade Declaration with recommendations for national parliaments and the OSCE on economic, security and human rights issues. To strengthen the effectiveness and effi ciency of the OSCE, the Belgrade Declaration recommends, inter alia, that the OSCE change the consensus rule for OSCE decision-making, at least on personnel, budget and administration matters. Further, the OSCE Permanent Council should allow the public and the press to attend its meetings. The OSCE should also provide assistance in North Africa, if asked, in the fi elds of democracy and human rights. In the fi eld of economic and environmental affairs, the Belgrade Declaration recommends that energy infrastructure be developed mindful of “environmental threats and nuclear safety.” Further, the international community should create a global system to notify governments of natural disasters, co-ordinate international assistance to affected areas, and promote international investment to help redevelop hard-hit communities. The document also recommends countries invest in environmentally safe industries and energy- saving technologies. In the human dimension, the Belgrade Declaration calls on participating States to implement in full the commitments they have assumed in the fi elds of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law. To this end, the Assembly recommends utilizing the “consensus minus one” procedure in cases of “clear, gross and uncorrected violations of OSCE commitments.” The Declaration It is also recommended that the Permanent Council hold bi-weekly meetings to consider human rights issues. Members also approved 23 resolutions on a host of issues, including human rights in Belarus, cyber security, human traffi cking, internet freedom, nuclear safety and organ traffi cking. 2 20th Annual Session  Report

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Inaugural Plenary Session

peaking at the Speaker of Parliament Sopening of the Slavica Dukic-Dejanovic OSCE Parliamen- tary Assembly’s Speaker of 20th Annual Ses- the Serbian sion, President Parliament Petros Efthymiou Slavica Dukic- (Greece) called Dejanovic for signifi cant noted the sig- changes to the nifi cance for Petros Efthymiou operations of the Serbia of host- OSCE to make it ing the Assem- more effective in addressing modern political bly’s 20th and security crises. Annual Ses- Slavica Dukic-Dejanovic Noting the historic importance of the Sava sion. Centre, built in 1977 to host the fi rst work- The fact that ing meetings of the Conference for Security the gathering was beingheld in Belgrade, she and Co-operation in Europe, Mr. Efthymiou said, “is a singular recognition for Serbia, as recalled the OSCE’s success in South-East a founder of the OSCE and a State which con- Europe as a model for its role in other parts sistently implements the basic postulates of of the OSCE region. Reforms, however, are the OSCE in the spheres of political-security, needed in the Vienna-based operations, said economy and human rights in practice.” Mr. Efthymiou. Ms. Dukic-Dejanovic said, “It is my mes- “For the OSCE to be as effective as it has sage and hope that the session in Belgrade been in the past in regions like this one, I rec- will mark a truly new beginning for the OSCE ommend the Ministerial Council meet twice a Parliamentary Assembly so that it might take year to create more opportunities for high-level a central position in the OSCE family in the political consultations,” Mr. Efthymiou said. upcoming period and continue to be a strong “It is also high time that the OSCE change its and integrating factor in the development of consensus-based decision-making process in co-operation.” times of crisis so no one country can alone hold up needed progress on human security issues.” Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic Mr. Efthymiou stated that the OSCE, despite having helped to change the course of his- Serbia’s Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic tory in Europe, is now in a state of crisis. He emphasized the importance of the OSCE as a regretted the fact that at the Astana Summit in strategic partner for his country and praised the December only past commitments were reaf- work of the local OSCE Mission in promoting fi rmed while the Organization failed to defi ne the rule of law and reconciliation in Serbia, its plans for the future. describing the Mission as “creating a better The President said the real strength of the future, co-operation, and a common European OSCE lies in its comprehensive conception of perspective.” security and called for more co-operative work He stressed Serbia’s devotion to the OSCE between the various structures of the Organi- principles and considers the Organization as zation. a strategic partner in dealing with new chal- “The Parliamentary Assembly is fully part lenges such as terrorism, organized crime, of this Organization and has real legitimacy as human traffi cking, energy security and climate it represents the people in the OSCE area,” he change. said. He called for a closer working relation- The Prime Minister said that this Annual Ses- ship between the Assembly and the OSCE’s sion will contribute in reaching the common governmental side. goal of greater security in the region. 4 20th Annual Session  Report

Inaugural Plenary Session

Speaking about European integration, the “Promoting Prime Minister also emphasized the impor- effectiveness tance of the EU for Serbia not only in eco- of the OSCE nomic terms, but also in terms of common has been put on European values. the top of my He stated that gaining the status of a can- agenda,” Amb. didate state in the EU is currently the biggest Zannier said. priority for the country. He called for a pragmatic rela- OSCE Chairman-in-Office tionship between Lamberto Zannier Audronius Azubalis the OSCE and the OSCE PA In his second and mentioned the possibility of appointing a address to the Deputy Secretary General in Vienna. OSCE Parliamen- Amb. Zannier presented some of the issues tary Assembly, that still need to be confronted at the OSCE, Lithuanian For- including multi-year planning in the context eign Minister and of frozen budgets, the system of limited term OSCE Chairman- mandates, and the establishment and recogni- in-Offi ce Audro- tion of a legal personality for the Organization. nius Azubalis Furthermore, he stated that political transi- discussed the tion in the Mediterranean should be a prior- Audronius Azubalis work of the Chair- ity for the OSCE and stressed the need for a manship broadly conference on security and co-operation in the halfway through his term. Mediterranean. He stressed the resolution of protracted con- fl icts as a priority for the Chairmanship and expressed regret that the recent Kazan summit OSCE PA Special Representative on the Nagorno-Karabakh confl ict failed to on Gender Issues Hedy Fry produce a breakthrough. Minister Azubalis also mentioned his work on Moldova, Georgia, In her second address to the Assembly as Belarus and Afghanistan. Special Representative on Gender Issues, Speaking about the importance of recent Hedy Fry (Canada) called for passage of legis- events in North Africa, he said, “The OSCE lation to promote gender equality, mainstream- should stand ready to support these partners. ing of gender in all aspects of policy, active There lies a great promise here for the role of promotion of female candidates in elections, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.” and sharing of best practices. Focusing her report on the theme of eco- OSCE Secretary General nomic independence, she reminded the par- Lamberto Zannier liamentarians that poor women are especially vulnerable in times of economic uncertainty. In one of his fi rst offi cial addresses as Secre- Citing reports from the , World tary General of the OSCE, Ambassador Lam- Bank, and , she said that when berto Zannier spoke about political leadership women are given economic independence, within the Organization. GDP and productivity increase signifi cantly. He said that he looked forward to regular “Gender equality is not only a human rights discussions with parliamentarians and men- issue, it also one of economic effi ciency,” Dr. tioned that he has already initiated a fruitful Fry said. She also called for greater represen- dialogue with President Efthymiou and OSCE tation of women in the OSCE Parliamentary PA Secretary General Spencer Oliver. Assembly, including its leadership.

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7 20th Annual Session  Report Standing Committee

he Standing Committee consists of the T55 Heads of National Delegations and Members of the Bureau. Meeting three times a year -- at the Winter Meeting, the Fall Meetings and the Annual Session -- the Standing Committee guides the work of the Assembly, approves its budget, and appoints the Secretary General.

n his report to the Standing Committee on the UN action plan on combating traffi cking I6 July, President Efthymiou expressed con- in persons, were assigned to be debated in Ple- fi dence that future co-operation with the new nary Session. OSCE Secretary General, Lamberto Zannier, The Standing Committee delegates heard would be fruitful. Nevertheless, he said he reports from the leaders of recent election regretted the lack of transparency in the Secre- observation missions to Kazakhstan, the tary General’s recruitment. former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Mr. Efthymiou also expressed concern over Turkey. Francois-Xavier De Donnea (Bel- the outsourcing of OSCE functions to the gium), head of the informal group on election International Peace Institute and called for observation, presented the group’s work and improved dialogue with the Chairmanship on expressed his concerns over different institu- this issue. tions issuing separate contradictory statements Mr. Efthymiou provided the Standing Com- which undermine the credibility and effi ciency mittee with a brief description of his recent of the OSCE as a whole. The Ad Hoc Commit- activities including visits to Moldova, Arme- tees on Belarus, Moldova, and Transparency nia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, meetings with the and Accountability in the OSCE also reported and the Interparliamen- on the progress made in their respective fi elds. tary Assembly of the CIS, as well as speeches OSCE PA Special Representative on Migra- he has made at universities in the United States tion Kathleen Ferrier (Netherlands) informed and the United Kingdom. the Standing Committee of her activities, Treasurer Roberto Battelli (Slovenia) including visits to Armenia and Kazakhstan. reported on the good fi nancial health of the She also stated that the OSCE would ben- Parliamentary Assembly and answered related efi t from a network of migration policy focal questions. points on the ground in participating States. He proposed that the budget for 2011-12 The Special Representative for Afghanistan, remain frozen, which was approved unani- Michel Voisin (France), reported on his visit to mously by the Heads of Delegations. the country. He emphasized the lack of security OSCE PA Secretary General Spencer Oliver in Afghanistan and reminded delegates that the informed the Standing Committee about withdrawal of troops would not be conducive the activities of the International Secretariat to ensuring a peaceful transition. during the past year, including a move to new Petur H. Blondal (Iceland), Special Repre- premises provided by the Danish Parliament. sentative on the OSCE Budget, advocated for He emphasized the increasingly active role the Organization to allocate more resources to played by OSCE parliamentarians in the work fi eld operations and called for updating and of the Assembly and in support of the multi- improving the current OSCE fi nancial guide- faceted activities of the OSCE. lines to include independent auditing. The Standing Committee approved 25 sup- Roberto Battelli (Slovenia), Special Repre- plementary items for general debate. Four sentative on South East Europe, reported on supplementary items, dealing with human his activities over the past year, including two rights in Belarus, women’s representation at election observation missions to Bosnia and the Parliamentary Assembly, combating trans- Herzegovina and the former Yugoslav Repub- national organized crime, and implementing lic of Macedonia.

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10 20th Annual Session  Report

11 20th Annual Session  Report

First General Committee on Political Affairs and Security

nder the Chairmanship of Karl-Georg ing, at least for decisions related to personnel, UWellmann (Germany), the First General budget and administration. It encourages the Committee on Political Affairs and Security OSCE to employ outside, independent auditors debated a wide range of issues included in the and make those audits available to the Parlia- report and resolution of Rapporteur Tonino mentary Assembly. The resolution was passed Picula (Croatia) on strengthening the OSCE’s after debate on 43 proposed amendments, of effectiveness and effi ciency. The report of the which 18 were approved. Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission (KIC) was Dr. Kiljunen presented to the Committee the presented by former Special Representative KIC report on the June 2010 violence in south- for Central Asia Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland), ern Kyrgyzstan, noting that one of the triggers and provided for a lively debate for the violence was the political vacuum cre- In his report, Mr. Picula reiterated President ated by the 7 April 2010 overthrow of the Kur- Efthymiou’s calls for OSCE reform, stressing manbek Bakiyev government. Citing the KIC that while globalization continues to accel- report, Dr. Kiljunen noted that some of the erate, multilateral organizations are lagging acts committed during the events amounted to behind. His resolution is intended to provide crimes against humanity. a programme for meeting these challenges, Dr. Kiljunen pointed to the willingness of he said. “This resolution will help the OSCE Kyrgyzstan’s President Roza Otunbayeva function more effi ciently to be able to help to reform the judicial system and said that strengthen new government and non-govern- although the government had been critical ment institutions when asked,” he said. about the report’s fi ndings, it has planned to To ensure greater transparency and account- establish a commission to monitor and imple- ability, the OSCE Permanent Council should ment the report’s recommendations. The Del- allow public and the press to attend its meet- egation from the Kyrgyz Republic highlighted ings, his resolution states. that no single ethnic group was at fault for the The resolution also recommends modifying tragic events in June 2010. While critical of the consensus rule for OSCE decision-mak- some elements of the KIC report, the Delega- tion noted the need for reconciliation. Election of Offi cers Chair: Karl-Georg Wellmann (Germany) Supplementary Items

Vice-Chair: Susanne Bratli (Norway) The Committee debated and passed four supplementary items related to violent extrem- Rapporteur: Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene ism, national minorities, Mediterranean politi- cal transition, and the situation in Moldova. (Lithuania) After a spirited debate and a close vote, the 12 20th Annual Session  Report

First General Committee on Political Affairs and Security

Committee voted down an item that would encouraged Mediterranean Partners to solicit have proposed enlarging the OSCE partnership OSCE and OSCE PA expertise in governmen- to include the Palestinian National Authority tal reform, elections, press freedom and civil and Lebanon. society development. Sen. Cardin reminded The Committee passed an amended ver- his fellow parliamentarians that “the basic sion of the supplementary item on counter- principles of our Organization apply to the ing violent extremism and radicalization that Mediterranean region.” leads to terrorism, sponsored by Mr. Coskun The resolution also called on the United Coruz (Netherlands). The resolution encour- Nations, the OSCE, the European Union and aged OSCE participating States to share best other organizations to assist countries who are practices and to engage with OSCE executive helping people displaced by the instability in structures and fund roundtables and trainings Libya and Syria. on approaches to counter radicalization and violent extremism that lead to terrorism. Armenia, Azerbaijan agree to Special The supplementary item on Moldova, Representative for the South Caucasus sponsored by Walburga Habsburg Douglas On Friday 8 July, President Petros (Sweden) and presented by Francois-Xavier Efthymiou hosted a meeting with the De Donnea (Belgium), reaffi rmed support Delegations of Armenia and Azerbaijan for the 5+2 negotiating format to resolve the to discuss the appointment of President Transnistrian confl ict and appealed to the Rus- Emeritus Joao Soares (Portugal) as Special sian to fi nalize withdrawal of its Representative for the South Caucasus with troops from Moldova. a mandate to also work towards a solution of Sponsored by Riccardo Migliori (Italy), the the Nagorno-Karabakh confl ict. amended resolution on national minorities Both Delegations welcomed this expressed hope that parliaments will study the appointment and expressed their willingness compatibility of their legislation with the prin- to work with Mr. Soares. ciples of the 2008 Bolzano Declaration, noting President Efthymiou also informed the that the question of protecting national minori- delegations that following his visit to the ties is a crucial issue for human rights and con- region and other areas with protracted fl ict prevention. confl icts, he had been working on putting the The resolution on Mediterranean political Nagorno-Karabakh confl ict on the agenda of transition sponsored by Benjamin L. Cardin the OSCE PA. He said having a meaningful (United States) condemned government-spon- discussion on this topic would help foster sored violence against the people of Libya and better understanding of the confl ict. The Syria, called for an immediate halt to the vio- Delegations of Armenia and Azerbaijan lence exercised by the Syrian authorities, and welcomed this idea. 13 20th Annual Session  Report

Second General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment

econd Committee Chair Roland Blum need to develop a global disaster planning and S(France) opened the fi rst session of the preparedness system.” Second Committee on 7 July by outlining the Mr. Shevchuk’s speech was followed by a agenda for the coming days and refl ecting on the lively discussion, with participation from more importance of building on the Astana Summit. than a dozen different delegations. In response In addition to the main resolution, seven sup- to the issues raised by the parliamentarians, Mr. plementary items were debated and adopted by Shevchuk warned Members against making the Committee, dealing with topics including rapid decisions to abandon nuclear energy labour traffi cking, migration, gender and eco- despite the high costs of maintaining nuclear nomic independence, free movement of infor- plants – even after they have been closed down mation, cyber security, agricultural land use, as in the case of Chernobyl. and nuclear safety. The adopted resolution calls for an increase in nuclear energy safety and for the creation of Report and Resolution a global disaster response system, which would rapidly notify governments of natural disasters, Mr. Blum raised the issue of Greece and the co-ordinate international assistance to affected Eurozone and called for more solidarity within areas, and attract foreign investment to spur the OSCE community. He also expressed his redevelopment in hard-hit communities. The regret over the catastrophe at the Fukushima resolution was agreed to with 13 amendments nuclear plant in Japan. With nuclear power debated, out of which seven were approved. likely continuing to be used in Europe, where it accounts for 35 per cent of the energy supply, Supplementary Items he called for greater safeguards on the industry. Finally, he called for better control of migration Kathleen Ferrier (Netherlands) introduced fl ows from the Mediterranean area. a supplementary item concerning migration Committee Rapporteur Serhiy Shevchuk policy in the OSCE area, which called on States (Ukraine), presenting his report for the Commit- to “better co-ordinate migration policies and tee, said, “We must all learn new lessons from monitor their implementation.” The item also this year’s catastrophe in Japan. To save more encouraged the OSCE States to promote infor- lives and speed up international assistance, we mation exchange on the issue and proposed establishing a network of “national focal points Election of Offi cers for migration.” The resolution was adopted. Chair: Serhiy Shevchuk (Ukraine) The Committee also adopted a supplemen- tary item on better utilization of agricultural Vice-Chair: Bruce Hyer (Canada) land to prevent malnutrition and uncontrolled migration. Introduced by Khachik Harutyunyan Rapporteur: Tony Lloyd (United Kingdom) (Armenia), the measure calls for greater invest-

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Second General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment

ment in agriculture in developing countries and The measure urges participating States to better use of land by both developed and devel- ensure all goods they purchase are not produced oping countries. by labor traffi cking victims. It also urges gov- A resolution promoting cyber security, spon- ernments to insist corporations use independ- sored by Francois-Xavier de Donnea (Belgium), ent verifi cation that their supply chains are free urged closer international co-operation on infor- from human traffi cking. mation and communication technologies as well as an increase in confi dence-building measures. Gender Lunch focuses on The resolution was agreed to overwhelmingly. economic independence The supplementary item on nuclear safety and environmental protection, introduced by Special Representative on Gender Issues Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene (Lithuania), was Hedy Fry (Canada) opened the Gender Lunch followed by a long and heated debate on the on 7 July by emphasizing the importance prospects of the use of nuclear energy in the of women’s economic independence. She OSCE area and the possibility of opting out of mentioned the plight of female migrants nuclear power. Out of the 35 amendments pro- as a population particularly vulnerable to posed, 18 were withdrawn and 17 rejected. traffi cking, prostitution, and poverty. The Committee unanimously adopted the Gordana Comic, Deputy Speaker of the resolution “Free Movement of Information and Serbian , spoke of the daily housework many women do for their Knowledge,” presented by Luka Juri (Slovenia). own families and how this is not considered The item encourages affordable Internet access in a country’s GDP. for all population groups and seeks more open Special Representative for Migration government practices to ensure citizens are able Kathleen Ferrier (Netherlands) stressed that to freely access state documents and informa- for migrants to be able to integrate, the host tion. The resolution also welcomes a common country needs to give them the opportunities strategy to lower telecom prices. to fully participate in society. Hedy Fry (Canada) introduced the supple- In the debate, Members discussed various mentary item on “Gender, Migration and Eco- gender related issues such as UN Resolution nomic Independence” stressing that by doing 1325, women’s access to the labour market, so she was putting some “teeth” in the gender and gender aspects of public health and report she presented in Plenary. The resolution, social systems. Several Members shared best which seeks national policies that facilitate practices from their home countries. economic opportunities and independence for Dr. Fry closed the debate stressing that women, was adopted unanimously. gender equality concerns women and men Lastly, the Committee passed a resolution on and that parliamentarians should emphasize combating labour traffi cking in supply chains the value of educating their public on the introduced by Christopher Smith (United issue. States). 15 20th Annual Session  Report

Third General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions 2007 Annual Session,

ith Chair Walburga Habsburg Doug- cess of transition towards democracy, which is Wlas (Sweden) and Vice-Chair Robert also of political and strategic importance to the Aderholt (United States) unable to attend the Organization. Annual Session, Rapporteur Matteo Mecacci Regarding the decision-making process (Italy) took on added responsibilities in the within the OSCE, Mr. Mecacci noted that there Third General Committee on Democracy, are still several unresolved confl icts between Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions. participating States that need to be addressed. The Third Committee meetings took place To effectively deal with these crises, he said from Thursday 7 July through Saturday 9 July. the Organization needs to use the existing During the meetings the parliamentarians dis- ‘consensus minus one’ procedure. cussed Mr. Mecacci’s report and resolution as Mr. Mecacci’s speech was followed by a well as nine supplementary items. lively discussion with many parliamentarians welcoming the rapporteur’s work. Some Mem- Report and Resolution bers said they wanted to include more concrete examples of attempts to settle disputes in the In light of recent changes in North Africa OSCE region, and there was considerable dis- and the Middle East, Mr. Mecacci stressed cussion about the Organization’s use of the the important role of the OSCE in promoting ‘consensus minus one’ procedure. democracy and human rights. “In a world with Out of 25 amendments submitted to the many different international organizations draft resolution, 16 were defeated, seven were active in the fi elds of promotion of human adopted and two were withdrawn. The draft rights and democratization, such as the Human resolution was then adopted in its amended Rights Council of the UN, the European Union form with only three members voting against and also NATO, the OSCE must fi nd answers it. The fi nal result was a set of recommenda- to these challenges in order not to fall into tions on how to improve the functioning of oblivion,” he said. key OSCE human rights instruments including Mr. Mecacci said that the OSCE, in collabo- through increased monitoring, and greater sup- ration with other regional organizations, has port for fi eld operations. the responsibility to perform a role in the pro- Supplementary Items Election of Offi cers The Third Committee discussed and voted Chair: Matteo Mecacci (Italy) on nine supplementary items, of which one was defeated. The supplementary item on Vice-Chair: Alain Neri (France) ‘combat against illicit trade in human organs,’ sponsored by Ms. Suzana Grubjesic (Serbia) Rapporteur: Coskun Coruz (Netherlands) passed with two amendments. The item on ‘strengthening efforts to combat 16 20th Annual Session  Report

Third General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions

racism, xenophobia and foster inclusion,’ spon- tion. The measure calls on States to upgrade sored by Special Representative on Migration their witness protection programs and employ Kathleen Ferrier (Netherlands) passed with new technologies to help protect the identity one amendment. of a witness testifying in court. The supplementary item on ‘promoting The committee voted down the proposed policies in favour of the Roma population,’ resolution on “crimes that cause serious social sponsored by Ms. Pilar Lopez (Spain) passed alarm,” a measure aimed at promoting the use un-amended. The measure emphasizes the of preventive detention in cases of sex crimes need to make access to European Union Struc- against children and murder. tural Funds conditional on desegregating poli- cies. The resolution on promoting policies on Working Group holds meeting equality between women and men of the Roma regarding human rights in Belarus population, also carried by Ms. Lopez, passed without amendments. The Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus, The supplementary item on ‘combatting chaired by Uta Zapf (Germany) held an open intolerance and discrimination against Chris- meeting on the margins of the Annual Session tians in the OSCE area,’ sponsored by Ms. with representatives of the opposition and Habsburg Douglas, passed with one amend- human rights groups. ment. Participants briefed parliamentarians on The measure on ‘the work of the commit- the grave human rights situation in Belarus, tee on the human dimension of the perma- and provided suggestions on ways to move nent council of the OSCE,’ sponsored by Ms. forward in co-operating with Minsk. Hildegard Faessler-Osterwalder (Switzerland) Irina Bogdanova, sister of presidential was also amended once and adopted. candidate and political prisoner Andrei The item on ‘international parental child Sannikov, addressed the meeting on behalf abductions,’ sponsored by Special Repre- of the families of other candidates, youth sentative on Human Traffi cking Christopher activists and journalists currently imprisoned H. Smith (United States) was adopted unani- in the country or in exile. mously. This item calls on participating States Stanislau Shushkevich, the fi rst head of the to ratify or accede to the 1980 Hague Conven- Belarusian state, and now leader of the Social tion on Civil Aspects of International Child Democrats in Belarus, called for Minsk to Abduction and seek to resolve cases where respect its international commitments on children are wrongfully separated from their human rights, rule of law and democracy. parents. Viasna and the Committee on International The supplementary item on ‘witness protec- Control – human rights organizations – urged tion programmes - a challenge to justice and parliamentarians to maintain pressure on the reconciliation,’ sponsored by Mr. Jean-Charles authorities in Minsk. Gardetto (Monaco) was adopted without objec- 17 20th Annual Session  Report Closing Plenary Sessions

said the document was prejudiced against the Belarusian authorities, while those support- ing the item expressed concerns about serious human rights violations in the country. In addition, Ms. Zapf noted that the re- opening of the OSCE Offi ce in Minsk would enhance the relationship between Belarus and the international community and benefi t Bela- rusian society at large. The resolution passed with six out of seven proposed amendments adopted. The Assembly also adopted three supple- mentary items without amendments: “Wom- en’s Representation at the OSCE Parliamentary Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic Assembly,” “Implementation of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Traf- ddressing the Plenary Session on 9 July, fi cking in Persons,” and “Combating Transna- Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic A tional Organized Crime.” announced that Serbia would seek the Chair- Presenting his resolution on women’s par- manship of the OSCE in 2014. ticipation in the PA, Jordi Guillot (Spain) Noting Serbia’s political and geographic reminded parliamentarians that nearly a third signifi cance, Minister Jeremic said that his of all delegations are exclusively male. country is working hard to make up for missed The human traffi cking item, sponsored by time, noting in particular the co-operation with Viktor Guminsky (Belarus), urges States to the International Criminal Tribunal for the strengthen co-operation on the United Nations former . action plan, address demand for all forms of “We would like to make the OSCE some- exploitation, and hold exploiters accountable more than just a sum of 56 countries by with enhanced punitive measures to deter their creating a dynamic area of convergence,” he actions. said. He stated that the Organization should The crime-fi ghting measure, sponsored by streamline its capacities and sharpen its iden- Vice-President Riccardo Migliori (Italy), spe- tity, including its legal status. “We should cifi cally calls for parliaments to strengthen avoid zero-sum agendas. Mistrust and diver- legislation combating organized crime, calls gences on political concepts of security have for harmonizing local laws, and mentions the to be overcome,” he added. need for co-operation between the OSCE and After the Minister’s address, Members United Nations Offi ce on Drugs and Crime. debated and adopted four supplementary items. During the discussion, Members mentioned Debate on Resolutions the importance of exchanging information and harmonizing structures of state institutions, including judicial bodies, who handle simi- Chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group on lar criminal cases to more effectively combat Belarus, Uta Zapf (Germany), presented the transnational crime. resolution on Belarus, stating that the Decem- Finally, the Question of Urgency on “The ber 2010 elections could not be considered free Selection Process for the Appointment of the or fair. Seven of nine opposition presidential OSCE Secretary General” was presented by candidates have been imprisoned amid wide- Vice-President Isabel Pozuelo (Spain) and spread political repression in Minsk. The reso- adopted by the Plenary. The item expresses lution calls for political prisoners in Belarus to concern over the lack of transparency in the be released and calls on Minsk to allow inde- process and calls on the OSCE Permanent pendent human rights experts into the country Council to review its procedures for selecting under the Moscow Mechanism. the Organization’s highest level appointment. Parliamentarians opposing the resolution 18 20th Annual Session  Report Closing Plenary Sessions

Spencer Oliver delivers his report

Treasurer’s Report Mr. Oliver expressed his satisfaction over the Winter Meeting’s increased participation Roberto Battelli (Slovenia) informed the and emphasized the importance of parliamen- Assembly on 10 July that the Standing Com- tarians meeting with OSCE offi cials and dip- mittee unanimously approved the Assembly’s lomats. He went on to thank President Petros annual budget for the next fi nancial year. He Efthymiou for his dedicated leadership. noted that the budget for 2011-2012 refl ects Mr. Oliver also thanked Treasurer Roberto the efforts of national parliaments to reduce Battelli and Deputy Secretary General Gus- expenses in these times of economic restraint. tavo Pallares for good management of the The budget, he said, has therefore been frozen budget. He also thanked his staff for their hard for a fourth straight year, and national contri- work, and ended by thanking the Parliament of butions to the Assembly will remain the same. Serbia for hosting the Annual Session. The Treasurer also said that the Assembly’s fi nances have consistently received a positive Adoption of the Declaration and assessment from external auditors. Election Results Mr. Battelli said he found it remarkable that, despite the fact that the OSCE PA has by far the On 10 July, Members adopted the Belgrade smallest staff and budget of all similar parlia- Declaration, consisting of the three resolutions mentary organizations in Europe, it continues of the General Committees, as well as 23 sup- to maintain and increase its level of activities. plementary items that had been debated over The Treasurer thanked the delegations that had the previous three days. made their fi nancial contribution for the fi scal At the end of the Plenary, election results year 2010-2011, as well as the Danish Parlia- were announced. President Efthymiou was re- ment and Austrian Government for providing elected by acclamation for a second one-year the International Secretariat with offi ces. term. Closing the meeting, the President said that the OSCE should be a political organiza- Secretary General’s Report tion, rather than an administrative one, in order to be more effi cient and effective. He reiterated OSCE PA Secretary General R. Spencer the call for the OSCE to review its procedures Oliver reported on the activities of the Assem- for choosing a Secretary General. bly since the Annual Session, highlighting The Assembly also elected Vice-Presidents election observation missions in Bosnia and to three-year terms: Walburga Habsburg Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, the United States, Douglas (Sweden), Tonino Picula (Croatia), Azerbaijan, Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Wolfgang Grossruck (Austria). Treasurer the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Roberto Battelli (Slovenia) was re-elected to a and Turkey. two-year term. 19 20th Annual Session  Report

20 20th Annual Session  Report

21 20th Annual Session  Report

Offi cers of the Assembly

he Offi cers of the Assembly, also OSCE PA Bureau Members meeting on the Tknown as the Bureau, include the fourth day of the 17th Annual Session President, Vice-Presidents, the Treas- urer, General Committee Offi cers and the President Emeritus. The Bureau is responsible for ensuring that the deci- sions of the Standing Committee are carried out, as well as for the effi cient operation of the Assembly between meetings of the Standing Committee. The Bureau takes decisions by two- President Efthymiou chairing the OSCE PA’s Bureau thirds majority vote. Meeting in April 2011

Petros Efthymiou (Greece) and has also served as a Member of the Euro- was elected President pean Parliament, including as a Member of of the Assembly at the the EP Bureau. From 1995 to 2002, Mr. Soares 2010 Annual Session was Mayor of Lisbon, during which time he in Oslo and re-elected also served as a Member of the State Council. in Belgrade. He had previously served as Roberto Battelli (Slovenia) Assembly Vice-Pres- was elected Treasurer ident, and as Chair of the Parliamentary and Vice-Chair of the Assembly in Vilnius Second General Com- in 2009 and was ree- mittee. A former Min- lected for a second ister of Education and Religious Affairs, Mr. two-year term in Bel- Efthymiou has also had a long and distinguished grade. A member of career in both print and broadcast journalism. the Assembly since He is a founding member of the Greek Socialist 1992, he has been Party (PASOK), and has been a member of the particularly active in Greek Parliament since 2004. Mr. Efthymiou election observation, has also served as a Member of the European observing more than 20 elections across the Parliament. OSCE area. He has served as head of the OSCE PA delegation and as Special Co-ordinator of Joao Soares (Portugal) the OSCE short-term observers four times. serves as President Mr. Battelli has been active in the Democracy Emeritus, after two Team for Moldova, the Sub-committee on terms as President Rules of Procedure, and the Sub-committee on from 2008-2010. Transparency and Accountability. Since 2006, He had previously he has also served as the OSCE PA’s Special served for two years Representative on South East Europe. He has as Vice-President. been a member of the Parliament of Slovenia Mr. Soares also cur- since 1990. rently serves as Spe- cial Representative Benjamin L. Cardin (United States) for the South Cau- was elected Vice-President of the Assembly at casus. He was fi rst the Annual Session in Brussels in July 2006, elected to the Portuguese Parliament in 1987 and re-elected in Vilnius in 2009. Prior to that, 22 20th Annual Session  Report

Offi cers of the Assembly

he had served as Chair in 1995 and has been a of the Second Com- Member of the Austrian Delegation to the mittee. Mr. Cardin OSCE Parliamentary Assembly since 1996. He was elected to the U.S. is a frequent participant in election observation, Senate in 2006, and and has headed several missions, most recently currently co-chairs the in Azerbaijan. With a background in insurance, U.S. (Helsinki) Com- Mr. Grossruck is also active in municipal poli- mission on Security tics and is the Mayor of Grieskirchen. and Co-operation in Europe. In the U.S. Riccardo Migliori (Italy) Senate, he serves on was elected Vice-Presi- the Foreign Relations Committee, Judiciary dent at the 2010 Annual Committee, Environment and Public Works Session in Oslo. Mr. Committee, Budget Committee and Small Migliori previously Business Committee. Before his election to the served as Rapporteur Senate, Mr. Cardin served for 20 years in the of the First Commit- U.S. House of Representatives. tee and has been Head of Italy’s Delegation Oleh Bilorus (Ukraine) since June 2008. A was elected Vice- member of the Cham- President during the ber of Deputies, he 2008 Annual Session has served on the Constitutional Affairs Com- in Astana, and was mittee and as Deputy Chair of the Bicameral elected again in 2010. Regional Affairs Committee. A member of Mr. Bilorus is Chair- the PDL (Popolo della Liberta) Parliamentary man of the Permanent Group, he is also a member of the Committee Delegation of Ukraine on Foreign Affairs. With a degree in law from to the OSCE Parlia- Florence University, Mr. Migliori has served mentary Assembly on the Florence City Council as well as on the and Chairman of the Tuscany Regional Council. Foreign Affairs Committee of the (Parliament) of Ukraine. An economist, Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco) manager, and diplomat, Mr. Bilorus has a was elected Vice-Pres- PhD in Economics and is a Full Professor and ident of the Assembly member of the Ukrainian National Academy of in Vilnius in 2009, after Sciences. He is also the Vice-Chairman of the having served as Chair , Motherland Party. of the First Commit- tee since 2006 and as Wolfgang Grossruck (Austria) Vice-Chair before that. was elected Vice-Presi- Mr. Gardetto has been a dent of the Assembly at Member of the National the 2008 Annual Session Council of Monaco in Astana and re-elected since 2003, and is Head of Monaco’s Delega- in 2011. He has also tion to the OSCE PA. Mr. Gardetto has served served as Rapporteur of as Chairman of the Foreign Relations Commit- the First General Com- tee and a Member of the Legislative, Finance, mittee. Mr. Grossruck Education & Youth and Women’s Rights Com- was fi rst elected to the mittees. He is also active in the Parliamentary

23 20th Annual Session  Report

Offi cers of the Assembly

Assembly of the Council of Europe, where Committee and the Healthcare and Consumer he serves as Chair of the Sub-Committee on Affairs Committee. Human Rights. As an attorney he is active in international legal organizations. Walburga Habsburg Douglas (Sweden) was elected Vice-Presi- Alexander Kozlovskiy (Russia) dent of the Assembly at was elected Vice- the 2011 Annual Ses- President of the Par- sion in Belgrade. She liamentary Assembly previously served two at the Oslo Annual terms as Chair of the Session in 2010. Assembly’s Committee Since 2008 he has on Democracy, Human served as Head of the Rights and Humanitar- Russian Delegation to ian Questions, having the OSCE PA. From previously served as 2004-2007, he served Committee Vice-Chair and Rapporteur. Ms. as Deputy Head of the Habsburg Douglas is also the Head of the Delegation. Mr. Kozlovskiy currently serves Swedish Delegation to the OSCE Parliamen- as Deputy Chairman of the Committee for tary Assembly. With a background in law and International Relations and Chairman of the journalism, Ms. Habsburg Douglas served as Sub-Committee for Relations with the USA in Secretary General of the International Pan- the Russian State Duma. Mr. Kozlovskiy also European movement prior to being elected to holds the post of Deputy Co-Chairman of the parliament in 2006. Inter-Parliamentary Co-operation Commit- tee between the Federal Assembly and Milli Tonino Picula (Croatia) Mijlis of Azerbaijan. was elected OSCE PA Vice-President at the Isabel Pozuelo (Spain) 20th Annual Session in was elected Vice-Presi- Belgrade, after having dent at the 2009 Annual served as Rapporteur Session in Vilnius and of the First General re-elected in Oslo. She Committee since the has been a Member of 2010 Annual Session the Spanish Delegation in Oslo. Mr. Picula has to the OSCE PA since been a Member of the 2004 and is presently the Head of its Del- since 2003, and has served as the Head of Del- egation. She has been egation of Croatia to the OSCE Parliamentary particularly active in Assembly since 2004. From 2000-2003, he election observation activities, having partici- served as Croatia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, pated in election observation missions to, inter and from 2004-2008 he was Chairperson of the alia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Social- Croatia Governing Montenegro, Russia, Georgia, and Armenia. Board. He also serves on the Foreign Policy Ms. Pozuelo has been a member of Committee of the Croatian Parliament. He has the Spanish Congress of Deputies since 1996, been particularly active in OSCE election obser- having served as a member of the Foreign vation activities, leading two election observa- Affairs Committee, as well as the Finance tion missions in 2010.

24 20th Annual Session  Report

General Committees

First General Committee on Political Affairs and Security

The General Committee on Political Affairs and Security (First Committee)

First General Committee on Political Affairs and SecurityGeneral Committee on Political Affairs and Security of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. He also ne of the most important aspects of serves as Deputy Head of the German Delega- Othe work of the Annual Session is the tion to the OSCE PA. deliberation that takes place in the three General Committees. Susanne Bratli (Norway) Following the 1991 Madrid Declaration, was elected Vice-Chair three committees were established along of the Committee on the lines of the three main “baskets” or sec- Political Affairs and tions of the Helsinki Final Act: The First Security at the 2011 General Committee on Political Affairs and Annual Session in Bel- Security; the Second General Committee grade. She has served on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology as a member of the Nor- and Environment; and the Third General wegian delegation to the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights OSCE PA since 2009. and Humanitarian Questions. Following In the (Norwe- debate and discussion, a draft resolution is gian Parliament) Ms. adopted by each Committee for presenta- Bratli serves on the Committee on Transport tion to the Annual Plenary Session of the and Communications. Since 1993, she has been Assembly, which is then included in the an active member of the Norwegian Labour Final Declaration. Party. She has also served as a member of the Nord-Trondelag County Council for six years. First General Committee Ms. Bratli has a business intelligence degree in training in board governance from the Norwe- Karl-Georg Wellmann (Germany) gian School of Management. was elected Chair of the First Committee at the Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene (Lithuania) 2010 Annual Session was elected Rapporteur in Oslo and re-elected of the First Committee at in Belgrade. A Member the 2011 Annual Session of the German Bunde- in Belgrade. A Member stag since 2005, he has of the (Parlia- served on the Commit- ment) of the Republic tee on Foreign Affairs, of Lithuania since 1992, specifi cally focusing she has served as Head on Poland, Central Asia, the Baltic States, of Delegation of Lithu- Ukraine and Russia. He is a substitute member ania to the OSCE PA of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council since 2008. She also is a of Europe, and since 2005 has been a Member member of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Transparency and Accountability and the Work- 25 20th Annual Session  Report

General Committees

General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment

ing Group on Belarus. Ms. Aleknaite Abramik- the Province of Ontario iene is a Member of the Committees on Foreign Environmental Appeal Affairs, European Affairs, Legal Affairs, Social Board from 1988 to Affairs and Labour, Environment Protection and 1997 and was fi rst the Commission on Family and Child Affairs of elected as Member of the Lithuanian Seimas. Parliament for the riding of Thunder Bay-Supe- Second General Committee rior North in 2008, and was re-elected in 2011. Serhiy Shevchuk (Ukraine) was elected Chair of the Tony Lloyd (United Kingdom) Second General Com- was elected Rappor- mittee in Belgrade, after teur at the 2011 Annual having served as Rappor- Session in Belgrade. teur of the Committee. Mr. Lloyd has been a A member of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, Mr. since 1983 represent- Shevchuk has served as ing Manchester Cen- a delegate to the OSCE tral. From 1997 to 1999 PA since 1998. Since he served as Minister 2006, he has served as Deputy Chairman of of State, Foreign and the Committee on European Integration of the Commonwealth Offi ce Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. In 2008, he was and was his party’s spokesperson on foreign elected Chairman of the Committee on Eco- affairs, environment, education, employment nomic Affairs, Science and Environment of the and transport. Mr. Lloyd has served as Head Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Verkhovna of the United Kingdom delegations to both the Rada of Ukraine, Seimas of the Republic of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parlia- Lithuania and Senate of the Republic of Poland mentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, where he has also served as Vice-President. In Bruce Hyer (Canada) 2010, he led the OSCE election observation was elected Vice-Chair of the Second Com- mission to Belarus. mittee at the 2011 Belgrade Annual Session. A scientist, small businessperson, and award- Third General Committee winning conservationist, Mr. Hyer has been a long-time advocate for small business develop- Matteo Mecacci (Italy) ment, economic diversifi cation, and protected was elected Chair of the Commitee on Democ- areas in Canada. He served as an adjudicator on racy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Ques- 26 20th Annual Session  Report

General Committees

Third General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions

General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions tions at the 2011 Coskun Coruz (Netherlands) Annual Session in was elected Rapporteur Belgrade after having of the Third Commit- served as the commit- tee at the 2011 Annual tee’s Rapporteur since Session in Belgrade. 2009. Mr. Mecacci Mr. Coruz has been a has been a member of Member of the Dutch the Parliament since May since 2008, where he 2001, where he serves serves on the Foreign on the Committees for Affairs Committee of Foreign Affairs, Secu- the Chamber of Deputies. From 2001 to 2008 he rity and Justice, and Immigration and Asylum. was based in New York where he co-ordinated Mr. Coruz serves as Head of Delegation of the various campaigns related to the promotion of Netherlands to the OSCE PA. Within the Chris- democracy, particularly in regards to the Inter- tian-Democrat faction in the Dutch Parliament, national Criminal Court and the United Nations he is actively involved in human rights issues. Commission on Human Rights. He was a member of the Dutch Equal Treatment Commission and served as a member of the city Alain Neri (France) council of Haarlem from 1998 to 2001. was elected Vice-Chair of the Third Commit- tee at the 2011 Annual Session. He has been a member of the Par- liamentary Assembly since 2002 and has served as Deputy Head of the French Delega- tion since 2007. From 2007 to 2008, and since 2009, he has been Secretary of the Bureau of the French National Assembly, where he has served since 1988. He also served as Vice-President of the National Assembly from 2008 to 2009. He has been a member and Vice-President of the Social Affairs Committee for various years between 1988 and 2008 and is now member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. 27 20th Annual Session  Report

28 20th Annual Session  Report

29 20th Annual Session  Report

30 20th Annual Session  Report

31 20th Annual Session  Report

Philippe Nobile

The OSCE PA International Secretariat provides administrative support for the Assembly in its various activities. The Secretariat organizes the meetings of the Assembly, and provides support for election observation projects, special missions and Presidential activities. Its work is carried out in co-operation with other OSCE Institutions and international parliamentary organizations. The Secretariat, which is hosted by the Danish Parliament, is headed by Secretary General Spencer Oliver, and has a permanent staff of 18, including three staff members at the Liaison Offi ce in Vienna. Secretary General Spencer Oliver

Deputy Secretary Deputy Secretary Special Presidential Assistant to the Deputy Director of Admin- General General Representative Advisor Secretary General istration Marc Carillet Tina Schøn Gustavo Pallares Andreas Nothelle Andreas Baker Dana Bjerregaard

Programme Director Senior Counsellor Conference Administrative Receptionist Deputy Director for Field Anna Chernova Semyon Dzakhaev Co-ordinator Director Lindsay McGill Odile LeLarge Kurt Lerras Operations Roberto Montella

Editorial Director IT-Supporter Staff Assistant Logistics Offi cer Director of Nat Parry Stephen Paul Pia Cathrin Iryna Sabashuk Communications 32 Rasmussen Neil Simon Vancouver. Vladivostok .

he OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is the parliamentary dimension of the Organi- Tzation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, whose 56 participating States span the geographical area from Vancouver to Vladivostok.

The primary task of the 320 member Assembly is to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue, an im- portant aspect of the overall effort to meet the challenges of democracy throughout the OSCE area. Recognized as a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, the OSCE is a primary instrument for early warning, confl ict prevention, crisis management and post-confl ict rehabilitation in its area. The Parliamentary Assembly, originally established by the 1990 Paris Sum- mit to promote greater involvement in the OSCE by national parliaments, has grown into a very ac- tive and esteemed member of the OSCE family.

The basic objectives of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly are:

• To assess the implementation of OSCE objectives by participating States;

• To discuss subjects addressed during meetings of the Ministerial Council and the summits of Heads of State or Government;

• To develop and promote mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of confl icts;

• To support the strengthening and consolidation of democratic institutions in OSCE participating States;

• To contribute to the development of OSCE institutional structures and of relations between existing OSCE Institutions.

To pursue these objectives, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly employs a variety of means:

• A Final Declaration and a number of resolutions and recommendations are adopted each year at the Annual Session in July;

• Committee work addresses important contemporary international issues;

• Programmes and Seminars designed to develop and strengthen democracy including an extensive election observation programme;

• Special parliamentary missions to areas of latent or active crisis. OSCE Parliamentary Assembly International Secretariat Tordenskjoldsgade 1 1055 Copenhagen K Denmark Telephone: +45 33 37 80 40 Telefax: +45 33 37 80 30 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.oscepa.org