OSCE Chairman-in-Office Leonid Kozhara speaks with OSCE PA Secretary General Spencer Oliver, 17 January 2013.VIENNA, 17 January 2013 -- Representatives of the PA are participating this week in the opening of the Ukrainian Chairmanship in Vienna, including the opening address by the new Chairman-in-Office, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Leonid Kozhara. The PA will also take part in the Annual Meeting of the Chairmanship and the Secretariat with the Heads of Field Operations and Institutions.

On 18 January, PA representatives will join the annual Regional Heads of Field Operations and Institutions Working Group sessions. Deputy Secretary General Tina Schoen will cover the session on the South Caucasus, with Special Representative Ambassador Andreas Nothelle covering South Eastern Europe, Programme Director Anna Chernova covering Central Asia and Deputy Director of Administration Marc Carillet covering Eastern Europe. Secretary General Spencer Oliver and Director of Presidential Administration Roberto Montella will participate in the restricted session with the Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier.

Following these meetings, the OSCE PA will hold a reception, hosted by Secretary General Oliver and Ambassador Nothelle, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the OSCE PA Vienna Liaison Office. The Austrian Delegation to the OSCE PA, the Chairperson-in-Office, the 57 members of the Permanent Council (plus the EU ambassador), the Partners for Co-operation, all Heads of OSCE Field Operations and Institutions, and Secretary General Zannier and his senior staff have all been invited.