Interfax, Russia
Oct 1 2004

OSCE rejects observers proposed by CIS Executive Committee

MINSK. Oct 1 (Interfax-West) – The OSCE Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has rejected the candidate
observers proposed by the CIC Executive Committee to work in the
upcoming parliamentary elections and referendum in Belarus.

“The OSCE ODIHR asked the CIS Executive Committee to send its
representatives as OSCE observers to the parliamentary elections in
Belarus. We offered them two candidates, representatives of Russia
and Armenia, top officials of the Executive Committee’s department,”
Tatyana Yegorova, spokesman for the CIS Executive Committee, told a
news conference on Friday.

However, the OSCE ODIHR headquarters in Warsaw responded that “our
proposal was not accepted because the proposed candidates are
accredited in Belarus and are allegedly dependent on the Belarussian
government,” she said.

“We were surprised and saddened by this decision. We have always been
ready for contact and sought contacts. We are hoping that they
[contacts] will continue,” Yegorova said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress