STOCKHOLM, 31 January 2012 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice President Walburga Habsburg Douglas (Sweden) is co-hosting a delegation of parliamentarians this week from the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic on a study visit to Sweden.

The visiting delegation includes representatives of all five political parties in the Kyrgyzstani Parliament. The delegation will meet with Swedish parliamentarians, including colleagues from the committees on constitutional issues and foreign affairs. Visiting parliamentarians will also hold meetings at the Foreign Ministry and be briefed on the work of the parliamentary ombudsman.

The four-day study visit is supported by the Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation and the Olof Palme International Center. The study visit follows an April 2011 needs assessment, supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, where representatives of the foundation, led by Ms. Walburga Habsburg Douglas, met with a wide range of political parties and representatives of civil society to explore possible inter-parliamentary co-operation and ways to support the parliament as a democratic institution in the Central Asian republic.

"In the context of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan is a logical country to start co-operation and twinning among political parties in Europe," Habsburg Douglas said. "We welcome this study visit, and the good cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Sweden. Through work in my own parliament, as well as within the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, I hope to maintain focus on the situation in Kyrgyzstan and support the country's democratic institutions. We must offer Kyrgyzstan all the support it needs to be a successful parliamentary republic in the region."