HL Deb 03 March 2003 vol 645 cc85-6WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, following the reopening of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) office in Belarus, and the announcement by the new OSCE Ambassador Eberhard Heyken that he would monitor and report on institution-building, they will propose that the OSCE should offer assistance to non-governmental institutions concerned with free and fair elections in advance of the forthcoming elections. [HL1736]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The arrival of Ambassador Heyken as head of office only on February 10 has left little time for the OSCE to engage in such activity before the elections on 2 March. However, Her Majesty's Government fully expect the new office in Minsk to address the issue of free and fair elections as part of its new mandate.

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