OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY CALLS ON OSCE COUNTRIES TO FULFILL INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS

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[07:55 pm] 09 July, 2007

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly ended its 16th Annual Session in
Kyiv today by adopting a Declaration that expresses regret at the
lack of progress in resolving so-called ‘frozen conflicts’ in the
OSCE region and recommends strengthened action in several fields
including migration and energy and environmental security.

The Kyiv Declaration, representing the collective voice of OSCE
parliamentarians, will be sent to the governments of all 56 OSCE
participating States. It is the result of five days of work by the
250 parliamentarians participating in the Annual Session in the
Ukrainian capital.

The Declaration expresses support for all efforts to achieve a peaceful
settlement of the ‘frozen conflicts’ in Moldova and Georgia based on
the principles of territorial integrity.

Reaffirming the crucial importance of all democratic values,
the Declaration calls on Belarus and governments of other OSCE
participating States to pursue their international commitments and
principles linked to the notion of each being a free and democratic
country.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, and the OSCE Chairman-in-Office,
Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, addressed the meeting.

The Declaration urges all OSCE participating States to sign and
ratify the Energy Charter Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol. It also
calls for greater action on migration and against human trafficking,
especially children, and for the dismantling of criminal networks
which facilitate illegal migration. In addition, it contains provisions
on women, peace and security; cluster bombs; environmental security;
human rights and intolerance.

The Declaration emphasizes that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is the
OSCE’s most valuable asset in enhancing the credibility of the OSCE’s
efforts to promote democracy and the establishment and improvement
of parliamentary institutions.

It reiterates the relevance of OSCE Electoral Observation Missions and
states that parliamentarians contribute a wide range of professional
political experience and visibility to these missions.

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Goran Lennmarker of Sweden was
re-elected unanimously to a second one-year term. The Parliamentary
Assembly also elected Anne-Marie Lizin, Belgium; Jerry Grafstein,
Canada; Kimmo Kiljunen, Finland; and Panos Kammenos, Greece as Vice
Presidents and Hans Raidel, Germany as Treasurer.