BISHKEK, 14 September 2011 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President Walburga Habsburg Douglas (Sweden) today completed a four-day election assessment visit to the Kyrgyz Republic.

The visit, aimed at assessing the environment ahead of the presidential election in Kyrgyzstan scheduled for 30 October 2011, included high-level meetings in Bishkek and Osh.

With the incumbent not standing for election, the conduct of the October vote is seen as key to the country moving forward following last year’s violence.

“Kyrgyzstan is very important for the European community as a key partner in the region,” Habsburg Douglas said. “We work closely with its multi-party parliament and other democratic institutions in the country. While there is still much to be done, I have been impressed with democratic developments here and I hope to see the October elections as a further step toward democratization.”

Habsburg Douglas has been appointed by the OSCE Chair-in-Office to lead the short-term OSCE observer mission for the elections. The mission is expected to be joined by members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. The parliamentarians will work with the OSCE/ODIHR long-term observation efforts and issue a joint statement on their preliminary conclusions following election day.

Habsburg Douglas met with Kyrgyzstan’s President Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the Central Election Commission, the foreign ministry and the international community, including development agencies, in Bishkek. Earlier in her visit, Habsburg Douglas participated in an OSCE parliamentary forum in the Kyrgyz Parliament and was briefed by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. In her parliamentary meetings, she met with the leadership of the five parliamentary factions, candidates and proxies.

In Osh, Habsburg Douglas met with the offices of the mayor and governor, and regional election officials, representatives of civil society and political parties. The visit to Osh was supported by the OSCE field office. Habsburg Douglas received a briefing on the work of the OSCE in the southern provinces, including the Community Security Initiative which addresses inter-ethnic reconciliation projects across southern Kyrgyzstan.