§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to send observers to the parliamentary elections in Macedonia on 15 September. [69778]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe UK attaches great importance to the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Macedonia. Holding these elections successfully and peacefully will be an important step in Macedonia's progress towards integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. To support this process, the UK will be sending seventy-five short-term observers (deployed for a week), two medium-term observers (for three weeks) and three long-term observers who will be on the ground for six weeks. This is, as is normal, 10 per cent of the OSCE total.