26th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Minsk

MINSK, 5 July (BelTA) – The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe should follow the spirit of the Helsinki process going forward. President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA) Christine Muttonen made the relevant statement during the plenary session held on 5 July to mark the beginning of the 26^th annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Minsk, BelTA has learned.

Christine Muttonen said: “We should act in this spirit if we want to step away from the edge, from the lack of trust that describes the current situation.” She remarked that in his speech Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko had talked about the same thing — the need to enable trust in the spirit of the Helsinki process of the 1970s.

Among negative manifestations Christine Muttonen mentioned the fragmentation of Europe, the growing split between the East and the West, and long-drawn-out conflicts. All of it testifies to the need to continue the dialogue, lay down the foundation for genuine cooperation, innovations, and for sharing the best practices, stressed Christine Muttonen.

The OSCE PA summer session is scheduled to take place in Minsk on 5-9 July and is dedicated to enhancing mutual trust and cooperation in the name of peace and prosperity in the region. The agenda of the session comprises reports of three general committees: on political affairs and security; on economic affairs, science, technology, and environment; on democracy, human rights, and humanitarian affairs.

Resolutions to be adopted as a result of the discussions will become the foundation of the Minsk declaration, which will formulate recommendations for national governments, parliaments, and the international community on responding to pressing challenges and threats. The declaration will also include several additional resolutions, which are initiated by individual parliamentarians. The resolutions target quite a large number of matters, including counterterrorism, migration challenges, prevention of interfaith enmity, stronger energy security and many other things.

Belarus has prepared a resolution of its own for consideration during the session. The resolution focuses on developing timely and effective legislative, regulatory, and administrative measures to respond to the emergence of new psychoactive substances. Belarus has also co-authored several resolutions prepared by foreign colleagues. Those are, for instance, resolutions on fighting terrorism (Russia), problems of intolerance and discrimination on religious grounds (Russia), prevention of sexual exploitation of children online (USA), democratic development of multiculturalism values (Azerbaijan).