Report

From 29 June to 3 July 2008, four Canadian parliamentarians travelled to Astana to attend the seventeenth Annual Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE.  The Honourable Senator Consiglio Di Nino led the delegation, which was composed of the Honourable Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein, Bev Shipley and Peter Goldring, members of Parliament.  The delegation was accompanied by Elizabeth Rody, Chief of Protocol, Jodi Turner, Delegation Secretary, and Natalie Mychajlyszyn, Advisor.

OVERVIEW OF THE OSCE

Established in 1975 as the “Conference on Security and Co‑operation in Europe” (CSCE), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was given its current name at the Budapest Summit in December 1994.  The OSCE participating countries, currently 56 in number⁽¹⁾, are “all the European states, the United States and Canada.”(2)  Eleven other states from the Mediterranean area and Asia joined as observers and are known as “Partners for Cooperation.”  The organization is defined as a primary instrument for early warning, conflict prevention and crisis management.  It is also recognized as a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, which requires that participating United Nations Member States “make every effort to achieve pacific settlement of local disputes through such regional arrangements or by such regional agencies before referring them to the Security Council.”(3)  However, the OSCE is not an international organization in the strict sense of international law, in that its resolutions are not legally binding on the signatory countries.

The OSCE’s 2008 budget is €164.2 million, of which nearly 75% is dedicated to field operations in 16 countries.  The OSCE employs approximately 3,000 individuals, the vast majority of whom are assigned to field missions.  One-quarter of the OSCE employees are seconded by the participating countries.

A.  An Inclusive, Global and Cooperative Approach to Security

The OSCE’s unique character derives from its composition, which enables the United States and Canada to participate as full members in an organization that addresses European issues.  The OSCE favours inclusive dialogue over selective admission.  This enables it to keep communication channels open on key security issues among all of the participating states regardless of their democratic records.  It also promotes exchanges between the European Union and Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) that are not members of the Council of Europe.  Whereas the foremost goal of the Council of Europe is to harmonize democratic practices among its member states, the OSCE aims to foster the development of an expansive, conflict-free geographic area – from Vancouver to Vladivostok – regardless of the democratic characteristics of the participating states.

The OSCE’s resolutions and activities stem from a comprehensive understanding of security that extends beyond the political-military model.  In the Charter for European Security, adopted at the November 1999 Istanbul Summit, the heads of state and of government of the participating countries agreed to “address the human, economic, political and military dimensions of security as an integral whole.”(4)  All forms of peaceful cooperation between the participating countries are considered as having the potential to reduce the risks of conflict in the region.  The OSCE’s cooperative approach is confirmed by the fact that all 56 states have equal status.  Decisions are made by consensus rather than majority vote.(5)

B.  Operational Capacity

After the end of the Cold War, the OSCE developed its institutions and operational capacities in response to particular and often urgent needs, and not as a long-term strategic plan.  The 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe laid the foundations for the OSCE’s institutional framework.

Field activities account for almost 75% of the OSCE budget.  The fact that it has no missions in Western Europe or North America is a point frequently raised by the Commonwealth of Independent States to argue that, although it claims to be cooperative and egalitarian, the OSCE applies a double standard in its relations with the participating countries.  The OSCE’s reply is that its operations stem from commitments made in a consensual manner and at the invitation of the countries themselves.  The six OSCE missions in southeast Europe account for half of the organization’s budget.  At €30 million in 2008, the budget for the Kosovo mission alone is roughly equivalent to the allocation for the OSCE Secretariat (€31.6 million).

The OSCE is led by a rotating “chairman-in-office” selected to serve a one-year term from among the foreign ministers of the participating countries.  As the organization’s senior diplomat, the chairman-in-office is supported by the Secretariat and its secretary general who are based in Vienna.

In 2008, Finland succeeded Spain as the chair of the organization.  Ilka Kanerva was the Chairman-in-Office between 1 January and 4 April, and was subsequently replaced by Alexander Stubb.  France’s Marc Perrin de Brichambaut has served as OSCE Secretary General since June 2005.

C.  The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) is the parliamentary dimension of the OSCE.  It was created by the OSCE (at that time the CSCE) in 1991 following the call set out by the participating States in the 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe. Its primary purpose is to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue on issues facing the participating States, issue recommendations for their own governments, parliaments and citizens concerning the OSCE’s three spheres of action.  Among its objectives are:

·   To assess the implementation of OSCE objectives by participating States:

·   To discuss subjects addressed during meetings of the OSCE;

·   To develop and promote mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of conflicts;

·   To support the strengthening and consolidation of democratic institutions in OSCE participating States; and,

·   To contribute to the development of OSCE institutional structures and of relations between existing OSCE Institutions.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is organised according to three General Committees representing the three “baskets” of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and the areas of focus of the OSCE:  the First General Committee on Political Affairs and Security, the Second General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, and the Third General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.  Its work is also carried out by way of ad hoc committees, working groups, and special representatives and envoys.  The Parliamentary Assembly also plays a key role in observing elections in the OSCE region and regularly sends parliamentary delegations on field missions.

It is managed by a Bureau and a Standing Committee.  The Bureau comprises a President, nine Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, the Chair, Vice-Chair and Rapporteur for each of the three General Committees, and the President Emeritus.  The Bureau is responsible for ensuring that the decisions of the Standing Committee are carried out and takes decisions by majority vote.  The Standing Committee of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly comprises the members of the Bureau and the 56 heads of delegation of the participating states.  The Standing Committee guides the work of the Assembly, approves its budget and appoints the Secretary General.  It uses the “consensus minus one” rule when voting on decisions, except in the case of the appointment of the Secretary General, which is done by a majority vote. 

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is administratively supported by the Secretary-General and the Secretariat who are located in Copenhagen.  These were established and became operational in January 1993 soon after the creation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Today the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly comprises more than 300 parliamentarians who are appointed by their respective parliaments.  Observers of the Assembly include parliamentarians from the OSCE’s Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia) and Asian Partners for Cooperation (Japan, Korea, Thailand, Afghanistan and Mongolia), and representatives from other parliamentary assemblies and security organizations, such as NATO.

Since its first Annual Meeting in Budapest in July 1992, members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and representatives of the Partners for Co-operation have convened several times a year to carry out the mandate of the Assembly.  The Assembly itself meets in plenary at the Annual Session held in July and hosted by the parliament of a participating State.  The Annual Session is the most important event in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calendar where the Assembly debates a number of OSCE matters and resolutions, receives reports, adopts the Session’s declaration, and elects its officers.  At the Fall Meetings in September, also hosted by the parliament of a participating State, the Assembly in plenary holds a conference on a topical issue.

The General Committees meet at the Annual Session to debate and adopt resolutions, and elect Committee officers; they also convene jointly and separately at the Winter Meeting in February in Vienna, where the OSCE’s headquarters are located, to discuss and debate issues of importance, receive briefings by senior OSCE officials, and hear presentations by the Rapporteurs on their draft resolutions for the Annual Session.

The Bureau meets at the Annual Session as well as in April and December.  The Standing Committee meets at the Annual Session, the Fall Meetings, and at the Winter Meeting. 

The OSCE PA also convenes to discuss more specific topics either on the margins of these regular annual meetings or at other times. For instance, the Parliamentary Forum on the Mediterranean is held during the Fall Meetings of the OSCE PA, and the Economic Conference is hosted by the parliament of a participating State every second spring

The Assembly’s budget covers most of the organizational expenses related to the Annual Session, Winter Meeting, Fall Meetings, Standing Committee and Bureau Meetings, official visits, the election observation programme, as well as the costs of the International Secretariat.  Host parliaments of the Annual Sessions contribute significantly by providing considerable support.  The Secretariat’s office facilities are provided free of charge by the Danish Folketing.  The PA’s 2008‑2009 budget is €2.86 million.  In 2007-2008 Canada has contributed €147,621.

Joao Soares (Portugal) has been president of the PA since July 2008, succeeding Göran Lennmarker (Sweden).  Spencer Oliver (United States) has served as secretary general since January 1993.  The Honourable Jerahmiel Grafstein, member of the Canadian Senate, has acted as vice-president since July 2007, having served as treasurer from 2001 to 2007.  The Honourable Senator Consiglio  Di Nino, head of the Canadian delegation since February 2005, has been vice-chair of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security since July 2007.

2008 ANNUAL SESSION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

For five days from 29 June to 3 July 2008, 227 parliamentarians from 50 of the 56 OSCE participating States, together with representatives of the “Partners for Cooperation” states, met in Astana, Kazakhstan to discuss the topic, “Transparency in the OSCE Region”  and a variety of other issues of importance.  This was the first Annual Session to be held in Central Asia.

The programme of the Annual Session consisted of a meeting of the Standing Committee; an Inaugural Plenary Session; three days devoted to the work of the three General Committees; parallel meetings on specific topics, such as the Working Group on Belarus, Central Asia; meetings of the ad hoc committees of the Assembly; a meeting of the Bureau; and a Closing Plenary Session.

On the fifth and last day of the Annual Session, the Astana Declaration(6), which contains all of the resolutions adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly at this Annual Session, was adopted.  The members then elected a new President of the Assembly, Mr. Joao Soares, a member of the Portuguese Parliament.  Senator Jerry Grafstein and Senator Consiglio Di Nino remained in their positions of Vice-President and Vice-Chair of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security, respectively.

A.  Standing Committee

The Standing Committee convened on the first day to receive various activity reports and approve the budget for the next year.  President Lennmarker, Chair of the Standing Committee, began with an overview of his activities since his last report, including his trips to Canada, Iceland, Cyprus, Morocco, Tunisia and Afghanistan. 

The Standing Committee also heard reports from the Special Representatives of the OSCE PA on a variety of issues of concern.  Ms. Hilda Solis (United States) delivered a report on her activities as the Special Representative on Migration.  Mr. Christopher Smith (United States), the Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues, was unable to be present in Astana and asked that his written report be circulated to delegations. It highlights visits to Bosnia, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. Ms. Tone Tingsgård (Sweden), Special Representative on Gender, presented her report. Anne-Marie Lizin (Belgium), Special Representative on Guantanamo, presented her report on the situation of the detainees following her visit in March 2008.  And Roberto Battelli (Slovenia), Special Representative on South East Europe, presented his report on peace and security developments in the region.  Mr. Alcee Hastings (United States) presented a summary of his activities as Special Representative on Mediterranean Affairs, which included a briefing on the plight of Iraqi refugees. 

Reports were also made by the Special Co-ordinators of the three election observations missions that took place since the last meeting of the Standing Committee in February 2008:  Serbia, Georgia, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.  President Emeritus Alcee Hastings (USA) and OSCE PA Secretary General Spencer Oliver reported on the May 2008 meeting with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on cooperation in election observation which ended without agreement on the matter.

The Standing Committee also heard the report of the Assembly’s Treasurer, Mr. Hans Raidel (Germany), which noted that the Assembly continues to operate well within its overall budget guidelines and to receive positive assessments from auditors on financial management.  The Standing Committee unanimously approved the proposed budget for the 2008/2009 financial year which begins 1 October 2008.  The budget provides for increased expenditures of just fewer than seven percent to cover inflation and a small increase in secretariat staff.

Dr. Pétur Blöndel, Special Representative on the OSCE budget, in his report on the 2008 OSCE Budget and the 2009 Prospective Budget, noted concern about the budget’s zero nominal growth and the resulting decrease in OSCE resources over time. 

Senator Di Nino briefed the Standing Committee about preparations for the upcoming Fall Meetings in Toronto.  Alcee Hastings (United States) welcomed the decision of the Assembly to hold an event in Washington on the upcoming U.S. elections immediately following the September meeting of the OSCE PA in Toronto.  The Standing Committee accepted invitations from the Irish Delegation to host the Economic Conference in Dublin in May 2009 and from the Greek Delegation to host the Fall Meetings in Athens in October 2009.

B.  Inaugural Plenary Session

At the inaugural plenary session in the afternoon, the participants heard a number of presentations, including those by the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Göran Lennmarker (Sweden), the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Speaker of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aslan Mussin, the OSCE Secretary General, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Knut Vollebaek.  The Special Representative on Gender Issues, Tone Tingsgård (Sweden), also presented her report to the plenary.

·                      The President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Göran Lennmarker, opened the 17^th Annual Session.  He thanked the Kazakh government for hosting the event and underlined the significance of holding it in Kazakhstan, which will assume the Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2010, the first participating state from Central Asia to do so.  He also introduced the theme of the Annual Session, Transparency in the OSCE, highlighting challenges that are faced in this regard by the OSCE and the participating States and the need for reform in order to enhance the unique and invaluable roles of the Parliamentary Assembly and the OSCE in regional security and stability.  In light of the location of the Annual Session, Mr. Lennmarker stressed the need for the OSCE and the participating States to consider their interdependence with the rest of the world in general and to strengthen links with Central Asia in particular.  He noted the importance of increasing the OSCE’s involvement in Afghanistan, particularly with respect to parliamentary relations, in order to support Afghanistan’s efforts to fight the threats to its democracy.  Mr. Lennmarker indicated his gratitude to those who have supported the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in its work to support democratic reforms, conflict resolution and prevention, and election observation throughout the OSCE area.  In particular, he highlighted the importance of the OSCE speaking with one voice with respect to OSCE election observation missions.  He reviewed some issues that remained outstanding from his tenure, such as the ratification of the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty.  He shared his optimism for the opportunities that were available to resolve the unsettled conflicts in the OSCE region, especially in light of their political, economic and human costs.  Mr. Lennmarker also recommended that Palestine should be considered as a potential partner of cooperation in order to deepen the OSCE’s dialogue with countries in the region.  He concluded with expressions of gratitude to the support he received during his two-year tenure as president from the Bureau, his home parliament and government, the Secretary General and the Secretariat.

·                      Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev welcomed members of the Parliamentary Assembly.  He highlighted the significance of the session being held for the first time in Central Asia and the important role that the Parliamentary Assembly plays within the OSCE and as a link between the organization and the people of its participating States.  He underlined the security challenges of a multipolar world and pointed to the imbalance of some military treaties as an issue that should be tackled by the OSCE.  President Nazarbayev gave an overview of Kazakhstan’s achievements and progress since declaring independence in 1991, particularly regarding external relations.  In this respect, he noted Kazakhstan’s denuclearization and elaborated on the country’s positive role in regional and global security structures.  President Nazarbayev also spoke about Kazakhstan’s economic role, and its agricultural and natural resource potentials which could be harnessed in cooperation with Western countries to gain access to their technologies.   He emphasised the opportunities for further dialogue and exchange in this regard.  He reiterated Kazakhstan’s commitment to democracy and the human dimension, in particular inter-ethnic peace.   In concluding his remarks, the president touched on the necessity to transform the activities of the OSCE in a way that would better reflect the perspectives of all its participating States, particularly in the areas of security, racism and xenophobia.

·                      The Speaker of the Kazkh Senate, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in his welcome remarks to the Assembly, noted his country’s commitment to OSCE values.  He focused on the importance of parliamentary democracy and inter-parliamentary dialogue in developing processes of integration and harmonization, and relayed Kazakhstan’s contributions in this regard.  He noted that holding the Annual Session in Astana, a symbol of the country’s independence and at a time that it is celebrating its tenth anniversary, is deepening the partnership between the OSCE and the country.  He highlighted the country’s involvement in regional confidence-building measures and security organizations, as well as its promotion of inter-faith and inter-ethnic tolerance.  He concluded by welcoming the confidence that the OSCE has shown in Kazakhstan by appointing it to the Chairmanship of the OSCE for 2010 and by emphasising Central Asia’s contributions to strengthening the OSCE in general and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in particular.

·                      The Speaker of the Mazhilis, Aslan Mussin, welcomed the participants.  He noted that holding the Annual Session in Astana underscored the acknowledgement of Kazakhstan’s commitment to openness and dialogue.  In this regard, he highlighted Kazakhstan’s progress in freedom of expression, transparency and the fight against corruption.  He concluded by emphasising the importance of interparliamentary dialogue and cooperation, particularly with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the impact of this dialogue on the Kazakh parliament’s role in promoting development and prosperity in the country.

·                      The OSCE Secretary General, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, in his remarks highlighted the OSCE’s role as a forum for political engagement and a framework for responding to current challenges.  He emphasised that it was the responsibility of the Assembly members to remind their governments of their commitments to OSCE principles.  He noted the encouraging results of the recent establishment of the Quintet cooperation format, including agreement among the Quintet Ministers on the principle of multi-year planning for OSCE priorities.  These priorities include OSCE engagement with Afghanistan, the challenges of illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, combating trafficking in human beings, and strengthening dialogue with the Partners for Co-operation.  Mr. de Brichambaut then took questions from the Assembly.

·                      The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), Knut Vollebaek, highlighted the valued role of minority communities in enhancing dialogue and mutual understanding among States.  He recalled the obligations of governments to protect the rights of national minorities living under their jurisdiction and to respect the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty when supporting fellow nationals living under the jurisdiction of other States.  He informed the Assembly that his Recommendations on National Minorities in Inter-State Relations will be launched in the coming months.  These recommendations emphasise in particular that, under international law, kin-States are not allowed to intervene unilaterally or to exercise jurisdiction over citizens of another State without that State's consent, except in limited areas such as education. A series of regional consultations are also planned in order to discuss their implementation by participating States.  The HCNM reported on his visits to South-Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Baltic region.  During these visits he met with high-ranking officials and civil society representatives to assess inter-ethnic relations.  He stressed the need to implement public commitments and legislation on inter-ethnic relations in order to enhance dialogue and build trust.  He emphasised that education was an important tool by which national minorities can be integrated.  He also offered his services to assist lawmakers of various participating States with specific issues in order to draft appropriate policies for the protection and promotion of minority rights.

·                      The Special Representative on Gender Issues, Tone Tingsgård, presented her 2008 Gender Report to the Assembly.  She highlighted that violence against women remained a troubling issue in many societies.  In providing updates on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security as well as on situation of gender equality in the OSCE in general and in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in particular, she expressed her concern that women’s representation is a fading issue.  Women are still underrepresented in OSCE institutional positions, including in management positions, as well as at field missions.  Delegations of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly also need to improve their record in including women parliamentarians.  She announced that she has begun work to amend the Assembly’s Rights of Procedure in order to make full voting rights in the Assembly dependent upon both genders being represented on each delegation.

The Assembly also discussed and adopted a resolution on transparency and further OSCE reform in order to reinforce parliamentary participation in the organization, presented by Hans Raidel (Germany).  In particular, the resolution recommends that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and its recommendations need to be better integrated into the decision-making process of the OSCE more generally.  Moreover, it recommends that the consensus rule should be modified for decisions related to personnel, budget and administration, and that in all other cases a country which blocks or holds up consensus must do so openly and be prepared to defend its position publicly.  It also urges parliamentarians to engage regularly with relevant senior government officials responsible for formulating policy relating to the OSCE with the aim of advancing the Assembly’s proposals. 

The Inaugural Plenary was closed by President Lennmarker.

C.  General Committee on Political Affairs and Security

Chair: Mr. Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco)

Vice-Chair: Senator Consiglio  Di Nino (Canada)

Rapporteur:  Mr. Wolfgang Grossruck (Austria)

1. Report and Principal Resolution

Following the theme of the Annual Session, Transparency in the OSCE, the Committee, chaired by Mr. Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco), considered the report submitted by its Rapporteur, Mr. Wolgang Grossruck (Austria) which dealt with enhancing oversight in democratic control of the armed forces, specifically the regulation of Private Military Companies (PMCs) and Private Security Companies (PSCs). This is an area that is not addressed by the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security (CoC), a progressive framework for enhancing democratic control of the armed forces among the OSCE participating States. 

The Committee debated Mr. Grossruck’s draft resolution on this topic and amendments proposed by Committee members.  The amended and adopted resolution calls on greater transparency and regulation of the activities of the PMCs and PSCs, including an extension of parliamentary oversight over these companies.  It also urges a stronger application among participating States of democratic principles to the control of the armed forces, including national security policies and doctrines.  It specifically urges the participating States to coordinate efforts in discussing the use of PMCs and PSCs and to include in engagement contracts obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law.  It also recommends that a manual on the use of PMCs and PSCs for missions in armed conflict and post-conflict situations be developed. 

It also requests the OSCE Secretary General to prepare for the 2009 Winter Meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly a study on the use of PMCs and PSCs and best practices of democratic control.  It also calls upon each Minister of Defence to provide an assessment of the private military companies and private security companies used by the national armed forces.   The resolution is included in the Astana Declaration.

 

2.  Supplementary Items

The Committee also debated the following Supplementary Items and any proposed amendments.  The amended and adopted supplementary items were included in the Astana Declaration.

·       Banning Cluster Munitions In Participating States Of The OSCE Area.  The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Michel Voisin (France), stresses that the humanitarian and economic consequences of cluster munitions are unacceptable.  Highlighting the impact of these weapons on civilian populations, the item welcomes the adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions at the Dublin Diplomatic Conference of May 2008 and recommends that participating States sign the document.  It also encourages participating States to ensure the destruction of all cluster munitions under their jurisdiction and take measures to forbid the use, the production, the transfer or the stockpile of cluster munitions on their territory.

·       Cyber Security and Cyber Crime.  The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Paul-Eerik Rummo (Estonia), underlines the great challenge posed by cyber attacks to governments and the growing concerns expressed in international fora such as the Council of Europe, the European Union, NATO and the UN General Assembly.  It urges OSCE participating States and all other members of the international community to consider joining the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime and encourages the relevant state legislatures to improve co-operation in the field of cyber security.  Finally, it suggests that the OSCE function as a regional mechanism supporting, coordinating and reviewing national activities in this field.

·       The Security Environment in Georgia.  The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Alcee Hastings (United States), expresses concern over the growing tensions in the conflict zones of Georgia and the possible consequences for the broader European security environment.  It urges the Russian government to refrain from maintaining ties with the regions in question in any manner that would constitute a challenge to the sovereignty of Georgia. It also urges the Russian government to abide by OSCE standards and generally accepted international norms with respect to the threat or use of force to resolve conflicts in relations with other participating States. 

·       Afghanistan.  The resolution, sponsored by Senator Consiglio Di Nino (Canada), comprehensively highlights the numerous challenges facing the Afghan people and government as well as the international community in sustaining Afghanistan’s transition to security and stability.  It emphasises the opportunities that are available to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to deepen its engagement with Afghanistan, particularly its parliamentarians; such opportunities reflect commitments made to this end in previous Assembly declarations and by other OSCE structures.  It calls on a concerted effort by the international community and Afghanistan’s neighbours to continue to support Afghanistan in its efforts to meet the commitments of the Afghanistan Compact, the Afghanistan National Development Strategy and the Afghanistan Millennium Development Goals in order to promote comprehensive security in the OSCE region.  In particular, the resolution:

 

Encourages the national parliaments of the OSCE:

a. to impress upon their governments the need to strengthen their contributions, military and humanitarian, to Afghanistan’s security and stability where needed,

b. to hold their governments and the international community to account regarding donor pledges,

c. to sustain the political will of their governments in Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development, and in political negotiations that may be undertaken and led by the Government of Afghanistan;

Finally, the resolution suggests that the OSCE provide election support to Afghanistan in its upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. 

At the end of its meetings, Committee members elected Mr. Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco) Chair, Senator Consiglio Di Nino (Canada) Vice-Chair, and Mr. Riccardo Migliori (Italy) Rapporteur.

D.  General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment

Chair: vacant (the previous Chair, Leonid Ivanchmenko (Russia) is no longer a member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly)

Vice-Chair: Petros Efthymiou (Greece)

Rapporteur: Roland Blum (France)

1. Report and Principal Resolution

The Committee, chaired by Mr. Petros Efthymiou (Greece), considered the report submitted by its Rapporteur, Mr. Roland Blum (France) and presented in his absence by his colleague, Mr. Stéphane Demilly (France).  Following the theme of the Annual Session, Transparency in the OSCE, and the report dealt with the relationship between the environment and security.  It listed a number of environmental risks, such as climate change, changing agricultural practices, accidental pollution, and their impact on new security challenges, such as tensions over access to natural resources, food crises, and population issues.  The report also suggested several solutions which ranged from integrating sustainable development into economic policies and enhancing international governance, notably at the OSCE level.

The Committee debated Mr. Blum’s draft resolution on this topic and any amendments proposed by Committee members.  Among other recommendations, the amended and adopted resolution calls on non-signatory participating States to sign and ratify the Kyoto Protocol. It also recommends that conferences be held at which views on the national energy strategies of participating States can be exchanged.  Participating States are also asked to make sustainable development a priority and to co-ordinate their actions in order to minimize the impact of food shortages and ensure the adequacy of food supply.  The resolution is included in the Astana Declaration.

 

2.  Supplementary Items

The Committee also debated the following Supplementary Items and any proposed validated amendments.  The amended and adopted supplementary items are included in the Astana Declaration.

·       A Mediterranean Free Trade Area.  The resolution, sponsored by Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein (Canada), highlights the relationship between commercial exchange and peace and draws attention to various free trade initiatives involving the Mediterranean region.  It recommends the creation of a Mediterranean Economic Commission whose objective would be to quickly reduce trade barriers and facilitate the transition to a knowledge-based economy in countries in the region.  It also recommends the creation of a Mediterranean Agricultural Marketing Board whose objective would be to create jobs in the agriculture sector for young people in the region.  Finally, the resolution calls on OSCE participating countries and partner states for co-operation to intensify their efforts under the various initiatives already in place in order to expedite the establishment of a free-trade area among all Mediterranean countries.

·       Expanding Trade Between North America and Europe. The resolution, sponsored by Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein (Canada), calls on OSCE participating States to support multilateral, inter-institutional and bilateral initiatives to promote European-North American trade.  It also recommends that such initiatives consider the greater involvement of appropriate regional and sub-regional governments and groupings.

·       Water Management in the OSCE Area.  The resolution, sponsored by Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein (Canada), highlights the severity of water management issues and scarcity of water resources faced by many states in the OSCE region, particularly in terms of safe and clean drinking water.  It also noted the link between resource issues and disputes or conflicts within or between states.  It calls on participating States to undertake sound water management to support sustainable environmental policies, including the adoption of the multiple barrier approach to drinking water protection, with particular attention to water tables, in national, regional and local regulations.  It also calls on the participating States to continue their work with other regional and international institutions and organizations with respect to water management solutions and the establishment of supranational arbitral commissions with decision-making powers delegated by the States.

·       Encouraging Transparency in the Extractive Industries.  The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Benjamin Cardin (United States), stresses the need for establishing a legal framework for extractive industries, especially in poor countries, in order to improve transparency and help secure a stable and predictable business environment. 

·       Illicit Air Transport of Small Arms and Light Weapons and Their Ammunition.  The resolution, sponsored by Mr. François-Xavier de Donnea (Belgium), calls on participating States to voluntarily implement numerous decisions made by the Forum for Security and Cooperation (FSC) on this issue, including greater control of aerial transport and traffic, as well as those of the Best Practice Guide.  It also calls on them to ensure proper management of related stocks and ammunitions, as well as the destruction of surpluses as appropriate.  The supplementary item also calls on states to support and complement the work undertaken by the UN and to promote and encourage cooperation on this topic in other international and regional fora, including those in Africa and Asia.

·       Chernobyl.  The resolution, sponsored by Ms. Natalia Andreichik (Belarus), welcomes multilateral and national efforts that have been carried out to mitigate the effects of the 1986 disaster and calls on participating States to continue bilateral and multilateral cooperation in order to deal with the remaining health, economic and environmental issues.  It also recommends that a Special Representative on Chernobyl be appointed by the President of the OSCE PA to promote associated issues.

·       Urging adoption of the Paris Club Commitment Regarding Vulture Funds, sponsored by Ms Gwen Moore (United States), raises awareness of the extra pressure put on poor countries when their debts are sold by countries to funds who engage in abusive litigation against them, endangering the possibilities for these countries to restore a healthy economy.  It also calls on standards and legislation to be developed that reduce the impact of Vulture Funds and prevent them from buying debt from indebted countries.

At the end of the meetings, Committee members elected Mr. Petros Efthymiou (Greece) Chair, Mr. Roland Blum (France) Vice-Chair, and Mr. Ivor Callely (Ireland) Rapporteur.

E.  General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions

Chair: vacant (the previous chair, Jesus Lopez-Medel (Spain), is no longer a member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly)

Vice-Chair: Ms Hilda Solis (USA)

Rapporteur: Ms Walburga Habsburg-Douglas (Sweden)

1. Report and Principal Resolution

The Committee, chaired by Ms Hilda Solis (USA), considered the report submitted by its Rapporteur, Ms Walburga Habsburg-Douglas (Sweden).  Following the theme of the Annual Session, Transparency in the OSCE, and the report dealt with the importance of transparency in promoting democracy and human rights.  It underscored the inability of many people to reconcile with their past due to the drastic and rapid historical changes that took place with the end of the Cold War.  It noted the importance of allowing people easier access to political and historical archives to facilitate historical inquiries; one method by which this can be achieved is by cooperation among States.  The report also noted the importance of transparency for democratic elections, good administration, and the work of parliaments

The Committee debated Ms Habsburg-Douglas’ draft resolution on this topic and any amendments proposed by Committee members.  The amended and adopted resolution among other recommendations calls on all participating States to work for greater transparency in the organization of and access to political and historical archives; the legislative process; the election process; the administrative process; work in Parliament; the rule of law; and the activity of international organizations in order to strengthen democratic processes.  It also calls upon all OSCE participating States to cooperate with each other to ensure the smooth and swift return of archives to their countries of origin.  It also encourages the establishment of joint history commissions between participating to illuminate contentious episodes in the history of participating States, with a view to further contributing to transparency and mutual understanding.   The resolution is included in the Astana Declaration.

2.  Supplementary Items

The Committee also debated the following Supplementary Items sponsored by and any proposed amendments.  The adopted supplementary items are included in the Astana Declaration.

·       Combating the Sexual Exploitation of Children.  The resolution, sponsored by Ms Anne-Marie Lizin (Belgium), condemns all forms of child sexual exploitation and urges the participating States to undertake specific and concrete measures to fight these crimes against children.

·       Violence Against Women. The resolution, sponsored by Tone Tingsgaard (Sweden), reaffirms the importance of the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for Gender Issues and the 2005 Ministerial Council Decision on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women, and calls on participating States to take concrete actions to fight violence against women, to protect women who are victims of domestic violence and to increase economic opportunities for women.  It also urges the OSCE and the governments of all participating States to promote women for all leadership positions, including in management and in police enforcements.  It also urges national Parliaments to ensure gender balance in the composition of the delegations to the OSCE PA.

·       Recognising the Economic, Cultural, Political and Social Contributions of Migrants.  The resolution, sponsored by Ms. Hilda Solis (United States), recognises the diversity and skills of migrant communities throughout participating States and their contributions to the economies of OSCE participating States.   It encourages parliamentarians to engage in actions to commemorate the positive economic, cultural, and social contributions of migrant communities, such as introducing legislation, speaking out against anti-migrant sentiments in their parliaments, working with migrant communities to develop policies which empower all and protect vulnerable migrants such as women, children, and racial and ethnic minorities.  It also encourages participating States to promote the potential of migrant communities by improving their economic, educational, civic, and social integration.  It also urges participating States to work towards optimizing remittance mechanisms and small business micro-loan programmes, particularly for women. 

·       Combating Anti-Semitism, Especially its Manifestations in Media and Academia.  The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Gert Weisskirchen (Germany), calls attention to incidents of anti-Semitism and urges the participating States to report such incidents and undertake specific steps in order to fight anti-Semitism, specifically in the media.  It also urges participating States to present written reports on their activities to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination at the 2009 Annual Session. 

·       The Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine.  The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Oleh Bilorus (Ukraine), pays tribute to the victims of the Holodomor.  It invites all the participating States to commemorate its 75^th anniversary and strongly encourages all parliaments to adopt acts regarding its recognition.  It should be noted that this resolution was fully supported by the Canadian delegation and is in line with the position of the Canadian parliament.

·       Strengthening Efforts to Combat All Forms of Trafficking in Human Beings and Addressing the Special Needs of Child Victims.  The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Christopher Smith (United States), calls upon the participating States to undertake comprehensive measures to fight human trafficking through strengthened legislation, increased resources, and better international cooperation and coordination with non-governmental organizations.  It also calls on the development of programs and initiatives that reduce the demand that drives the trafficking of persons. 

·       Observation Missions.  The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Christian Miesch (Switzerland), underscores the importance of election observation by the OSCE and stresses the leadership role that the Parliamentary Assembly plays in this regard.

At the end of the meetings, Committee members elected Ms. Hilda Solis (USA) Chair, Ms. Walburga Habsburg-Douglas (Sweden) Vice-Chair, and Ms. Natalia Karpovich (Russian Federation) Rapporteur.

F.  Closing Plenary Session

The Closing Plenary Session began with an address by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Mr. Alexander Stubb (Finland).  After thanking the hosts for the Annual Session, he remarked on the important role Kazakhstan is playing in the OSCE and stressed the importance of the country’s development and continued commitment to reform.  Mr. Stubb shared with the Assembly the priorities of the Finnish Chairmanship, including the resolution of the conflicts in the Caucasus and in Trans-Dniester, supporting the transition of developing countries of the OSCE, and promoting cooperative security in Central Asia, particularly Afghanistan.  In particular, he stated that it was necessary to focus on respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the promotion of democracy and rule of law.  He pointed to the Kazakh Chairmanship in 2010 as indicative of how much the world has changed over the past 35 years since the first Helsinki conference.  In this respect, he noted that the OSCE itself is an organization in transition and that it is important to address the challenges facing the Organization.  He also gave credit to the OSCE PA for the special role it plays.  In highlighting election observation as a fundamental task of the OSCE, Mr. Stubb reiterated the importance of cooperation between the OSCE PA and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and his hope that the new leadership of these institutions would advance cooperation in election observation for the sake of democratization. 

Mr. Spencer Oliver, Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, delivered his report on the activities of the Assembly over the past year to the delegates.  These included the Fall Meetings which were held in Portoroz in September 2007, the OSCE PA’s participation in the Ministerial Council which was held last December in Madrid, the Winter Meeting held in Vienna in February 2008, and the April 2008 Bureau Meeting held in Copenhagen.  Mr. Oliver also reported on the OSCE PA’s extensive programme of election observation over the past year, noting that more than 250 parliamentarians participated in election observation missions in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation, twice in Georgia, Serbia, Kyrgyzstan, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. 

The Treasurer’s Report was delivered by President Göran Lennmarker in the absence of the Treasurer, Mr. Hans Raidel (Germany).  He reported that the Standing Committee unanimously approved the budget for the next financial year, beginning on 1 October 2008.

Several members of the Assembly briefly addressed the plenary during the time allotted on a wide variety of issues.

The Chairs of the three General Committees, Mr. Jean-Charles Gardetto, Mr. Petros Efthymiou and Ms. Hilda Solis presented the work of each Committee. 

The Astana Declaration, which consists of the final resolutions from each of the three General Committees and the supplementary items referred to the General Committees, was then adopted.  Specifically, the Declaration deals with enhancing oversight in democratic control of the armed forces, specifically the regulation of Private Military Companies (PMCs) and Private Security Companies (PSCs); the relationship between the environment and security; allowing people easier access to political and historical archives to facilitate historical inquiries;  banning cluster munitions; cyber security; the security environment in Georgia; Afghanistan; a Mediterranean Free Trade Area; expanding trade between North America and Europe; water management; transparency in extractive industries; small arms and light weapons; Chernobyl; vulture funds; combating the sexual exploitation of children; violence against women; recognizing the economic, cultural, political and social contributions of migrants; combating anti-semitism; Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine; strengthening efforts to combat all forms of trafficking in human beings and addressing the special needs of child victims; observation missions.

The Assembly then elected the following new Assembly officers: President, Mr. Joao Soares (Portugal); Treasurer, Mr. Hans Raidel (Germany); Vice-President, Ms. Pia Christmas-Moeller (Denmark); Vice-President, Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (Kazakhstan); Vice-President, Mr. Oleh Bilorus (Ukraine); Vice-President, Mr. Wolfgang Grossruck (Austria).  Mr. Göran Lennmarker began service as President Emeritus.

The next Annual Session will be held in July 2009 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

ACTIVITIES OF THE CANADIAN DELEGATION

Every member of the Canadian delegation attended the Plenary sessions and the General Committee meetings of the Annual Session.  Every member also made statements at the Plenary and/or General Committee meetings:

·          Senator Consiglio  Di Nino, Head of the Delegation:

-   During the time allocated for additional points at the Opening Plenary, Senator Di Nino addressed the Assembly about the need for greater cooperation on Afghanistan and brought their attention to his supplementary item on the topic.

-   He also carried out his duties as Vice-Chair of the meetings of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security. 

-   Senator Di Nino also presented a supplementary item on Afghanistan to the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security.  It should be noted that this resolution generated the most debate and the largest scope of opinion.  It was the type of debate and discussion that should be held on such an important issue.  It was adopted with approximately 90% support of the members.

-   Senator Di Nino also spoke on the following supplementary items: 

§  on Encouraging Transparency in the Extractive Industries (United States of America – Benjamin Cardin) presented in the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology, and Environment); 

§  on the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine (Ukraine – Oleh Bilorus) presented in the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions; 

§  on Recognising the Economic, Civic and Social Contributions of Migrants (United States of America – Hilda Solis) presented in the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.

-   During the time allocated for additional points at the Closing Plenary, Senator Di Nino also addressed the Assembly about the OSCE PA’s relationship with ODIHR with respect to election observation missions.

-   Senator Di Nino also participated in the meeting of the Standing Committee which he briefed about preparations for the upcoming Fall Meetings in Toronto. 

-   He also attended the Bureau Meeting.

·          Senator Jerry Grafstein:

-   Senator Grafstein carried out his duties as Vice-President of the OSCE PA;

-   He also presented three supplementary items to the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, which were all adopted:

§  Expanding Trade between North America and Europe;

§  Water Management in the OSCE Area; and

§  Mediterranean Free Trade Area.

It should be noted that there was generally good debate on the resolution to expand trade between North America and Europe.  The resolution on water management was very well received and puts Canada ahead with respect to this issue.  These resolutions were adopted almost unanimously by the membership.

-   Senator Grafstein also spoke during the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions on the supplementary item on Combating Anti-Semitism, Especially its Manifestations in the Media and in Academia (Germany - Gert Weisskirchen).

-   Senator Grafstein also participated in the meeting of the Standing Committee. 

-   He also attended the Bureau Meeting.

-   On the margins of the OSCE PA, Senator Grafstein met with legal representatives of Canadian and American leaders of a religious minority group who were recently detained, tried and deported from Canada.  It was determined that Canadian officials were thorough within the legal framework in their assistance to the individuals concerned.

·          Mr. Bev Shipley, M.P.:

-   Mr. Shipley made statements of support on the following supplementary items:

§  on Afghanistan (Canada – Consiglio  Di Nino) during the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security;

§  on Expanding Trade between North America and Europe (Canada – Jerry Grafstein) during the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment;;

§  on Water Management in the OSCE Area (Canada – Jerry Grafstein) during the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment;

§  on a Mediterranean Free Trade Area (Canada – Jerry Grafstein) during the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment;

§  on Strengthening Efforts to Combat All Forms of Trafficking in Human Beings and Addressing the Special Needs of Child Victims (United States of America – Christopher Smith) during the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions;

·          Mr. Peter Goldring, M.P.:

-   Mr. Goldring made a statement during the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions on the supplementary item on the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine (Ukraine – Oleh Bilorus).  Although the resolution itself did not refer to the Holodomor as a genocide, Mr. Goldring did refer to it as such in his statement.

-   He also introduced friendly amendments to Senator Di Nino’s resolution on Afghanistan on behalf of the United States delegation during the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security.

As a delegation, the parliamentarians were also very active: 

·       On arrival in Astana on Saturday, 28 June, the complete delegation met with the Canadian Ambassador, Margaret Skok, the political counsellor of the Canadian embassy, Deidrah Kelly, and the second secretary of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE, Curtis Peters, for a briefing session on the main issues in Canada-Kazakhstan relations, including development of commercial ties, and Canada-OSCE relations.  In particular, Ms Skok indicated that Kazakhstan had just appointed its first ambassador to Canada.

·       On Tuesday, 1 July, the delegation hosted an event to publicise the Fall Meetings of the OSCE PA taking place in Toronto in September 2008.

·       On Tuesday, 1 July, the delegation, together with Canadian diplomatic representatives, met with the Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev and officials from the Kazakh parliament and the Department of Foreign Affairs.  At the meeting, the parties discussed Kazakhstan’s commitments to OSCE principles and its progress in democratic development, issues related to Canada-Kazakhstan relations, specifically the appointment of the Kazakhstan’s first ambassador to Canada, Canada-Kazakhstan nuclear cooperation, agricultural and business opportunities, and mutual concerns in Afghanistan.  Senator Di Nino also personally invited Speaker Tokayev to the Fall Meetings of the OSCE PA to be held in Toronto in September 2008.

·       On Wednesday, 2 July, Senator Di Nino, Mr. Shipley and the Canadian Ambassador met with the Kazakh Minister of Agriculture to discuss the long standing cooperation with Kazakhstan in the field of agricultural and to promote its further development.

·       On Wednesday, 2 July, the delegation met with the Canadian Ambassador, Ms Kelly, Mr. Peters and Robert Hage, Director General, Europe, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, who was attending the Annual Session as part of his official visit to Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

It should be noted that the bilateral relationship between Canada and Kazakhstan and its potential development was strengthened by the activities of the parliamentary delegation, notably by meeting with Speaker Tokayev who has tremendous influence in Kazakhstan.  Indeed, Speaker Tokayev may attend the Fall Meetings on account of the personal invitation from the Canadian parliamentary delegation.   Mr. Shipley’s impressive performance at the meeting with the Minister of Agriculture may also impact favourably on the agricultural relationship between the two countries and of the positive direction Canada can go in this field.

Moreover, a visit by a Canadian parliamentary delegation was of added value in reinforcing the parliamentary development and democratisation in a country such as Kazakhstan which, although it has come a long way, still has some challenges to overcome.  As the Canadian ambassador noted, the parliamentary visit successfully reinforced the bilateral relationship, particularly where few if any Ministers have had an opportunity to visit Kazakhstan and moves Canada closer into the sphere of countries that have very close relations with key leaders in Kazakhstan.

In conclusion, it should be noted that Astana provided a very interesting venue for the Annual Session of the OSCE.  The Kazakhstan parliament was a very hospitable host and was also very accommodating.  By hosting such a successful Annual Session, the Canadian parliamentary delegation noted that Kazakhstan should be encouraged to be more involved in the OSCE, even as it prepares to take on the Chairmanship in 2010.  The Annual Session addressed many interesting topics, several of which also resonate with Canadians.  Indeed, the quality of debate on the topics was better than in the past.  The Canadian delegation distinguished itself with above average participation by all members; this was acknowledged by many other delegations.  In particular, the delegation from the Ukrainian parliament noted their gratitude for the Canadian support of its resolution on the Holodomor.  The Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA is certainly carrying more weight and earning the respect of its fellow delegates.

 

Respectfully submitted,