OSCE PA PRESIDENT SEES 2009 AS YEAR OF GREAT CHALLENGES

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.01.2009 15:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,
Joao Soares of Portugal, said in an interview for the OSCE PA website
that he sees this year as one of great challenges, particularly when
it comes to the so-called frozen conflicts.

"It is very important that both the governmental and parliamentary
sides of the OSCE are ready to meet the challenges we face. As
experienced parliamentarians from 55 parliaments, we have the power
to influence the governmental side. And, of course, we can be on the
frontline of the political discussions," he said.

President Soares outlined his priorities of the coming year
and the role of the Parliamentary Assembly in addressing these
challenges. "We will consider new initiatives at the parliamentary
level in the Caucasus after the Special Envoy to the Caucasus, Swedish
Parliamentarian and OSCE PA President Emeritus Goran Lennmarker visits
the region next month," he said.

Mr. Soares said that the Parliamentary Assembly is also paying
"close attention" to Transdniestria and that he will visit Moldova
and Transdniestria during the second week of February for talks with
all political sides in that region.

He also discussed his hopes for the Greek chairmanship of the OSCE,
the recent Russia-Ukraine gas dispute, the crisis in Georgia, as well
as the proposals for a new European security architecture.

"I see clearly that the OSCE should be in the center of the discussion
about a new security architecture and that is it the appropriate
forum for this discussion," he said, the OSCE PA press office reports.