SECRETARY GENERAL OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE HOPES THAT POSSIBLE REDUCTION OF THE OSCE MONITORING MISSIONS NOT TO AFFECT THE RESULTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA

arminfo
2007-11-05 18:29:00

ArmInfo. Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis
hopes that possible reduction of the OSCE monitoring missions will
not affect the results of the presidential election in Armenia, he
said at the joint press-conference with Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanyan in Yerevan, Monday.

‘I hope that Russia’s suggestion supported by Armenia about reduction
of the OSCE monitoring mission over the election will not affect
holding of the presidential election in Armenia, in February 2008. The
OSCE itself should comment on Russia’s suggestions and their affecting
the electoral processes’, – Terry Davis said.

He also emphasized an important role of mass media in raising
transparency of election holding. He also mentioned the balanced
covering of the election campaign and the candidates. Nevertheless,
T.Davis emphasized that the programmes of the Council of Europe do
not impose their policy upon the member-states of the CE but give
the needed assistance for holding of free and fair elections.

For his part, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said that
Russia’s suggestion to reduce the number of the monitoring missions
to 50 people caused some misunderstanding in Yerevan. He explained
that this was only regarding to long-term monitoring missions financed
from the OSCE budget.

‘Taking of such a decision will not affect Armenia as not more than
30 observers of the OSCE take part in monitoring of the elections
in Armenia’, – Oskanyan said. He thinks that Russia’s suggestion is
directed to improvement of the OSCE activity, and Armenia supports
this initiative as it is an active participant in reforming of the
OSCE structure.