COPENHAGEN, 30 March 2011 – The OSCE PA observation mission to Kazakhstan this week will include more than 80 participants from 26 countries. The delegation to observe the country’s 3 April early presidential election will be led by Tonino Picula (Croatia), Rapporteur of the PA’s First General Committee on Political Affairs and Security. OSCE Chair-in-Office and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis appointed Mr. Picula Special

Chris Smith speaking at the 2011 OSCE PA Winter Meeting in Vienna. COPENHAGEN, 24 March 2011 – The struggle to fight anti-Semitism requires more participation and a redoubling of efforts, Rep. Chris Smith (U.S.) said today upon conclusion of the OSCE meeting on Confronting Anti-Semitism in Public Discourse. “This week's high-level OSCE/ODIHR meeting in Prague on best practices to combat anti-Semitism specifically as it relates to public

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the OSCE PA's recent Winter Meeting in Vienna. COPENHAGEN, 16 March 2011 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan has been named the new Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, the first Asian to serve in this position. “Mr. Tokayev has been an asset to the Parliamentary Assembly and an important voice representing the interests of his country and region to the

COPENHAGEN, 15 March 2011 – OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou expressed concern today regarding the U.S. government funding of a private NGO to perform what would normally be OSCE functions. Noting that the matter will be discussed at the upcoming OSCE PA Bureau Meeting on 11 April in Copenhagen, Efthymiou said the following: “The Parliamentary Assembly expresses serious concerns regarding the outsourcing of some of the core diplomatic

VOA NEWS 11 March 2011 Yevropada Xavfsizlik va Hamkorlik Tashkiloti tomonidan tuzilgan bu hay'atga finlyandiyalik siyosatchi Kimmo Kilyunen rais. O'tgan yil yozida Qirg'iziston janubini qaqshatgan qonli voqealar sabablari o'rganilar ekan, muhim savollar hanuz javobsiz qolmoqda.

COPENHAGEN, 11 March 2011 – President Petros Efthymiou of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly today released the following statement regarding the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, an OSCE Asian Partner for Co-operation: “The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly extends its deep sympathies to those who have suffered losses in today’s earthquake and tsunami off the east coast of Japan. We know that Japan has significant experience with seismic activity but