Belarusian delegation to attend consultations on OSCE reform :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarus` delegation will attend a round of high-level consultations on reforming the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to be held in Vienna on September 12 and 13.

The delegation will include Valery Romashko, chief of the foreign ministry`s Main Department for Europe, and Ambassador-at-large Natalya Drozd, Ruslan Yesin, spokesman for the ministry, told reporters on Thursday.

The consultations are a key OSCE event aimed at identifying priority areas of the organization`s reform, according to the official.

Delegations representing OSCE member states are expected to use the occasion to share their views of the OSCE reform and discuss a report prepared by the "panel of eminent persons" on steps to make the organization more effective.

"In particular, the consultations will focus on the OSCE goals and priorities, its organizations, procedures and practice, as well as the organization`s further activities," Mr. Yesin said.

The official noted that Belarus advocates the reorganization of the OSCE that would help it better respond to new challenges and threats. "In particular, we devote special attention to the operation of OSCE missions and the improvement of the methodology used by the ODIHR [Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights] in monitoring elections," he said.