OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou is greeted by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych (Photo by Mykhailo Markiv) KYIV, Ukraine, 15 September 2011 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Petros Efthymiou today expressed optimism about Ukraine serving as Chair-in-Office of the world's largest regional security organization in 2013. President Efthymiou met today with President Viktor Yanukovych, capping off two days of meetings in Kyiv aimed at

TUNIS, 15 September 2011 – Vice-President Riccardo Migliori (Italy) visited Tunisia, an OSCE Mediterranean Partner State, from 6 to 9 September in his capacity as Head of the OSCE PA election observers for the upcoming elections of the National Constituent Assembly scheduled for 23 October. In meetings with national authorities, leaders of political parties, members of civil society and representatives of international organizations working in

INTERFAX 15 September 2011 Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych has noted the important role played by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) observers in the election process and said that Ukraine is ready to cooperate with this organization in improving democratic principles. "Lawmakers, and members of the assembly (the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE) have traditionally played an important role in monitoring the

KYIV POST 14 September 2011 Representatives of the Ukrainian opposition have met with President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Petros Efthymiou to discuss the situation in Ukraine. "Today we discussed the ways of overcoming the political crisis in Ukraine. The suggestions voiced by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly president coincide with our ideas: There is one real way out of the political crisis - it is the decriminalization of political

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

Dutch delegation with Walburga Habsburg Douglas in Bishkek, 12 Sept. 2011. (Photo by Arjen Westerhoff, Dutch Parliament) BISHKEK, 12 September 2011 – OSCE PA Vice-President Walburga Habsburg Douglas (Sweden) and human rights committee rapporteur Coskun Coruz (The Netherlands) led discussions about election observation work Saturday during an OSCE-organized parliamentary forum on the role of parliaments in ensuring election transparency. The