Events

MINSK, 15 March (BelTA) – Christine Muttonen, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA), will start her visit to Belarus on 15 March, BelTA learned from the press service of the House of Representatives.

The OSCE PA head is set to meet with speakers of the two houses of the Belarusian Parliament Vladimir Andreichenko and Mikhail Myasnikovich. The parties are expected to discuss cooperation between the National Assembly and the OSCE PA, including the 26^th OSCE PA Annual Session which is due in Minsk in July 2017. The parties are set to sign the corresponding agreement.

Apart from Christine Muttonen, the OSCE PA delegation will comprise OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella and OSCE PA Deputy Secretary General Gustavo Pallares.

According to the House of Representatives, the visit of the OSCE PA President will be the third one conducted by the chairpersons of this organization to Belarus. The country was visited by Joao Soares in 2009 and by Riccardo Migliori in 2012.

Minsk will host the summer session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 5 to 9 July. The event will focus on the ways of strengthening mutual trust and cooperation for peace and prosperity in the region. It is expected that the Belarusian capital will host approximately 700 participants. The session is expected to be eventful. It will include meetings of the OSCE PA Standing Committee and the three General Committees of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly: on Political Affairs and Security; on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment; on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly was established in Madrid, Spain in April 1991. It is comprised of 323 MPs from 57 countries. Its major tasks include to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue, support democratic institutions in the OSCE participating states, and promote cooperation and security in the region. The annual summer session is the largest event on the OSCE PA calendar that brings together the leadership and officers of the OSCE PA, adopts declarations and resolutions.