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Redogörelse till riksdagen

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Från Sveriges delegation vid OSSE:s parlamentariska församling

Sammanfattning
Riksdagens delegation vid OSSE:s parlamentariska församling överlämnar bifogade redogörelse för verksamheten inom den parlamentariska församlingen under 2007.
Stockholm den 4 mars 2008

På delegationens vägnar

Walburga Habsburg Douglas

Ann-Sofi Lindenbaum

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Innehållsförteckning

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Sammanfattning 1
Innehållsförteckning 2
Verksamheten inom OSSE:s parlamentariska församling 2007 3
1 Framväxten av samarbetet inom OSSE 3
2 Den parlamentariska dimensionen inom OSSE 4
2.1 Församlingens verksamhet och organisation 4
2.1.1 Plenarsessioner och vintermöten 4
2.1.2 Presidiet (byrån) 4
2.1.3 Det ständiga utskottet 4
2.1.4 Sekretariatet 5
2.2 Partigrupperna och övriga grupperingar 5
3 Den svenska delegationen 6
4 Verksamheten under 2007 8
4.1 Möten under året 8
4.2 Utskottsarbetet 8
4.2.1 Utskott I Politiska frågor och säkerhetsärenden 8
4.2.2 Resolutioner antagna av utskott I 9
4.3 Utskott II Ekonomi och miljö 9
4.3.1 Resolutioner antagna av utskott II 9
4.4 Utskott III Demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter 9
4.4.1 Resolutioner antagna av utskott III 10
4.5 Budgeten 10
5 Genus och jämställdhet 11
6 Församlingens bidrag till demokratisk utveckling 12
6.1 Församlingens ad hoc-arbetsgrupper 12
6.1.1 Abchazien, Moldavien och Vitryssland 12
6.2 Särskilda representanter 12
6.2.1 Församlingens särskilde representant för Nagorno-Karabach 13
7 Valövervakning 14
8 Samarbete med andra organisationer och närområden 15
8.1 Samarbetet i Medelhavsregionen 15
8.2 Medelhavsforum 15
Sveriges delegation till OSSE:s parlamentariska församling 17
Den parlamentariska församlingens och utskottens ledning 18
OSSE:s medlemsstater 19
Samarbetspartner 20

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Verksamheten inom OSSE:s parlamentariska församling 2007

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1 Framväxten av samarbetet inom OSSE
Organisationen för säkerhet och samarbete i Europa (OSSE) har sitt ursprung i den europeiska säkerhetskonferensen (ESK). ESK etablerades 1975 som ett forum för pågående politiska förhandlingar mellan öst och väst. År 1993 fick ESK ställning som regional organisation i FN enligt FN-stadgans kapitel VIII. År 1995 bytte konferensen namn till Organisationen för säkerhet och samarbete i Europa (OSSE).
OSSE omfattar i dag 56 stater och utgör en effektiv organisation i det internationella säkerhetspolitiska samarbetet. Organisationen har en vid medlemskrets från Vladivostok till Vancouver en flexibel struktur och en bred syn på säkerhet. Dess verksamhet omfattar tre dimensioner: den militärpolitiska, den mänskliga (demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter) samt dimensionen för ekonomi och miljö.
Tyngdpunkten inom OSSE:s verksamhet försköts under 1990-talet från långsiktiga förhandlingar om normbyggande och militära förtroendeskapande åtgärder till konfliktförebyggande och återuppbyggnad. OSSE är en i hög grad operativ organisation och dess flexibla organisation gör snabba förebyggande insatser möjliga, ofta i nära samarbete med andra internationella organ. Den har för närvarande fältkontor i 16 länder, och den övervägande delen av budgeten går till konkreta fältinsatser. Fältmissionernas arbete är inriktat på att stärka respekten för mänskliga rättigheter och rättsstatens principer, bygga upp demokratiska institutioner och stödja förtroendeskapande åtgärder mellan olika befolkningsgrupper.
Organisationen har kapacitet att verka i olika skeden av en konflikt: förvarning, förebyggande, konflikthantering samt återuppbyggnad respektive utveckling av demokrati och rättsstatens principer. Organisationen har också i allt större utsträckning tagit sig an frågor som sträcker sig över samtliga tre dimensioner, såsom frågorna om människohandel, terrorism och gränsövervakning.
Samarbete med länder utanför det egna geografiska området regleras genom partnerskapsavtal.

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2 Den parlamentariska dimensionen inom OSSE

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2.1 Församlingens verksamhet och organisation
Den parlamentariska församlingen i OSSE (OSSE PA) etablerades 1990 i samband med att OSSE fick en fastare institutionell struktur.
OSSE:s parlamentariska församling ska genom dialog bidra till att utveckla och främja konfliktlösningar, bidra till en demokratisk samhällsutveckling, värna rättsstatens principer och stödja demokratiska institutioner i medlemsländerna. Församlingen ska också granska huruvida medlemsländernas regeringar genomför de resolutioner och rekommendationer som församlingen ålägger dem. Målen för församlingens verksamhet anges i dess stadga.
2.1.1 Plenarsessioner och vintermöten
Församlingen möts i en årlig plenarsession och i ett vintermöte då de nationella delegationerna från OSSE:s 56 medlemsländer samlas. Församlingen har 320 ledamöter och lika många ersättare. Under sessionerna följer församlingen upp hur OSSE:s mål efterlevs, diskuterar aktuella politiska frågor och har en dialog med OSSE:s organ på regeringsnivå, vilket är en viktig del av sessionerna. Beslut i församlingens plenum fattas med majoritet.
OSSE:s parlamentariska församling har tre fackutskott som motsvarar regeringssidans dimensioner och som sammanträder under vintermötet och sommarsessionen.
2.1.2 Presidiet (byrån)
Församlingen leds av en president som väljs för ett verksamhetsår med möjlighet till omval en gång.
Församlingens styrelse eller presidium (byrå) består av presidenten och nio vicepresidenter som väljs för tre år. Varje år väljs tre nya vicepresidenter. Det finns möjlighet till ett omval. En vicepresident kan ingå i presidiet i högst sex år.
Byrån samlas i utvidgad form i december och i april med deltagande av utskottens presidier för att förbereda rapporter och resolutionsutkast inför sommarsessionen.
2.1.3 Det ständiga utskottet
Församlingens ständiga utskott utgörs av delegationernas ordförande, församlingens presidium och de tre utskottens presidier. Det ständiga utskottet föreslår dagordning för sessionen och tar ställning till aktuella politiska frågor mellan sessionerna. Det beslutar bl.a. vilka föreslagna tilläggsämnen som ska tas upp till debatt under sessionen och vilka fackutskott som ska bereda dessa. Beslut fattas enligt principen konsensus minus en.
2.1.4 Sekretariatet
OSSE PA:s sekretariat finns i Köpenhamn (14 personer) och har en filial i Wien (2 personer). Församlingens högste tjänsteman är generalsekreterare Spencer Oliver (USA). Han har lett sekretariatet sedan starten och fick 2005 fortsatt mandat på sex år.
OSSE har sex officiella språk: engelska, franska, italienska, ryska, spanska och tyska.
2.2 Partigrupperna och övriga grupperingar
Inom församlingen verkar fem partigrupper: socialistgruppen, den konservativa gruppen, den liberala gruppen, vänstergruppen och den gröna gruppen.

Grupperna har inga sekretariat. De får inte heller några finansiella bidrag från församlingen. Partigrupperna sammanträder i samband med de stadgeenliga mötena.
Vid sessionerna förekommer även regionala möten. Den norska delegationen inbjöd de övriga nordiska och de baltiska delegationerna till en lunch under sommarsessionen i Kiev.

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3 Den svenska delegationen

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Antalet delegater i varje nationell delegation är fastlagt i församlingens stadga. I riksdagens OSSE-delegation ingår åtta ledamöter och lika många ersättare. Dessa väljs av kammaren för en hel valperiod. Den 17 november 2006 valdes följande delegation:

Ordinarie ledamöter: Ersättare:
Tone Tingsgård, s Åsa Lindestam, s
Walburga Habsburg Douglas, m Kent Olsson, m
Urban Ahlin, s Peter Jonsson, s
Göran Lennmarker, m Anna König Jerlmyr, m
Ulrica Messing, s Marie Nordén, s
Håkan Juholt, s Aleksander Gabelic, s
Fredrick Federley, c Eva Selin Lindgren, c
Cecilia Wigström, fp Annelie Enochson, kd
I september lämnade Ulrica Messing sitt riksdagsuppdrag och ersattes av Åsa Lindestam som ordinarie ledamot i OSSE-delegationen. Peter Jeppsson ersatte Åsa Lindestam som suppleant.
Delegationens ordförande är Walburga Habsburg Douglas och vice ordförande är Tone Tingsgård.
Fördelningen i församlingens utskott:
Utskott I politik och säkerhet: Håkan Juholt , Urban Ahlin.
Utskott II ekonomi och miljö: Fredrick Federley, Åsa Lindestam.
Utskott III MR och demokrati: Walburga Habsburg Douglas, Tone Tingsgård, Cecilia Wigström.
Svenska delegater har valts till följande uppdrag av församlingen:

Göran Lennmarker omvaldes till president på ett år vid församlingens sommarsession. Hans särskilda uppdrag när det gäller konflikten i
Nagorno-Karabach kvarstår.
Tone Tingsgård har tidigare omvalts till vicepresident 20062009 och ingår därmed i församlingens presidium (byrå). Hon har dessutom ett uppdrag från församlingens president som särskild representant i genusfrågor. Hon leder också församlingens arbetsgrupp för Abchazien samt ingår i en arbetsgrupp för Moldavien.
Cecilia Wigström ställde inte upp till omval vid sommarsessionen och avgick som vice ordförande för det tredje utskottet.
Walburga Habsburg Douglas valdes till rapportör för tredje kommittén vid sommarsessionen.
Urban Ahlin är vice ordförande i en arbetsgrupp som syftar till att stärka samarbetet mellan OSSE:s olika institutioner. Han ingår dessutom i en arbetsgrupp för Moldavien.

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4 Verksamheten under 2007

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4.1 Möten under året
Vintermötet hölls i Wien den 2223 februari. Utöver de sedvanliga förberedelserna för sommarsessionen arrangerades en debatt om energi och säkerhet.
Andorra stod värd för ekonomiskt forum den 2426 maj.
Församlingens sextonde plenarsession hölls i Kiev den 59 juli på inbjudan av Ukrainas parlament. Temat för sessionen var Implementering av OSSE:s åtaganden. Samtliga resolutioner från mötet, den s.k. Kiev-deklarationen, biläggs.
Höstmötet hölls i Portoroz den 29 september2 oktober.
Ständiga kommittén möttes den 22 februari, 5 juli och den 29 september.
Byrån hade ett extrainsatt möte under vintermötet och i övrigt stadgeenligt den 23 april i Köpenhamn och den 28 november i Madrid.
Riksdagens OSSE-delegation hade sammanträden vid fyra tillfällen.
Under året har det pågått en debatt i OSSE:s politiska kommitté om OSSE PA:s status inom organisationen. Med anledning av den debatten markerade utrikesutskottet i betänkandet till budgetpropositionen att det är ett angeläget arbete som bedrivs inom OSSE PA. Utskottet anser att dess roll och status som OSSE-institution måste respekteras och att Sverige bör verka i denna anda.
4.2 Utskottsarbetet
Under vintermötet presenterade de tre rapportörerna utkast till sina respektive rapporter och resolutioner att läggas fram vid sommarsessionen och fick synpunkter från de närvarande parlamentarikerna på upplägg m.m.
Vid sommarsessionen lade sedan varje utskotts rapportör fram en resolution baserad på sin rapport över sessionens övergripande tema.
Implementering av OSSE:s åtaganden. I tillägg till denna diskuterades i varje utskott ett antal resolutioner utöver årets tema, vilka föreslagits av parlamentarikerna.
4.2.1 Utskott I Politiska frågor och säkerhetsärenden
Under vintermötet höll högkommissarien för nationella minoriteter ambassadör Rolf Ekéus ett anförande, Security aspects on minority policy in the OSCE area, vilket ledde till debatt. Urban Ahlin gjorde ett inlägg i frågan om historiska monument, där han sade att det var självklart att varje nation självt bestämmer hur man vill förfara med historiska monument, att man ska ta hänsyn till etniska minoriteters vilja men att andra länder inte ska lägga sig i dessa beslut.
Vid sommarsessionen hade årets rapportör delat upp utskottets huvudresolution i två delar: energisäkerhet och situationen i Vitryssland. Denna uppdelning mötte starkt motstånd från Vitryssland som krävde att den senare delen skulle tas bort och inte diskuteras. Med stöd av församlingens stadga, som ger rapportören möjlighet att välja ämne, avslogs denna begäran. Efter lång diskussion i denna del kunde dock resolutionen antas i sin helhet.

Delen om energisäkerhet orsakade ingen egentlig debatt.
4.2.2 Resolutioner antagna av utskott I
Huvudresolutionen Implementering av OSSE:s åtaganden.
Resolution om konfliktslösande i OSSE:s medlemskrets.
Resolution om förbud mot klusterbomber.
Resolution om kvinnor i fred och säkerhet.
4.3 Utskott II Ekonomi och miljö
Deklarationens andra avsnitt behandlar migration. Den stora ökningen av migration kan leda till stark främlingsfientlighet, fattigdom och trafficking i olika former. I resolutionen föreslås en rad åtgärder för ett närmare samarbete mellan berörda länder. Betydelsen av reglerad migration och möjlighet att återvända till hemlandet är centrala inslag.
Fredrick Federley gjorde ett inlägg i debatten där han redogjorde för den aktuella svenska integrationspolitiken.
4.3.1 Resolutioner antagna av utskott II
Huvudresolutionen Implementering av OSSE:s åtaganden.
Resolution om otillåtna flygtransporter av små och lätta vapen.
Resolution om strategi för säkerhet på miljöområdet.
Resolution om liberalisering av transatlantisk handel.
4.4 Utskott III Demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter
Deklarationens tredje avsnitt reflekterades i en mycket lång resolution med ankytning till utskottets alla områden.
Vice ordförande Cecilia Wigström inledde med ett engagerat inlägg som anknöt till mordet på Anna Politkovskaja och andra journalister och framhöll vikten av yttrandefrihet.
Cecilia Wigström meddelade att tolv länder hittills hörsammat hennes begäran om skriftlig dokumentation om den nationella uppföljningen av resolutionen från sommarsessionen 2006 om åtgärder mot antisemitism och andra former av intolerans.
Resolutionen antogs utan någon reell debatt.
4.4.1 Resolutioner antagna av utskott III
Huvudresolutionen Implementering av OSSE:s åtaganden.
Resolution om kamp mot människohandel inom OSSE:s område.
Resolution om stärkande av OSSE:s arbete med försvar av mänskliga rättigheter och nationella institutioner för mänskliga rättigheter.
4.5 Budgeten
Församlingen beslutar om sin egen verksamhet och budget. Verksamheten finansieras genom bidrag från medlemsländernas parlament. Församlingens budget 20072008 (budgetåret börjar den 1 oktober) uppgår till 2 669 450 euro. Den svenska delegationens bidrag utgör 86 490 euro, vilket motsvarar 3,24 %.

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5 Genus och jämställdhet

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Tone Tingsgård fick förnyat mandat som presidentens särskilda representant för genusfrågor. Uppdraget består i att rapportera om situationen inom OSSE, att stimulera dialogen om genusfrågor i organisationen och att utveckla en mer aktiv genusprofil för den parlamentariska församlingen. Representanten ska också i samarbete med OSSE organisera relevanta aktiviteter och ta initiativ till rapporter på området.
Rapporten om genusbalansen i OSSE:s institutioner och fältmissioner år 2007 (OSCE PA Gender Balance Report July 2007) presenterades under plenarsessionen i Kiev. Tingsgård menade att rapporten är nedslående och att situationen inte hade förbättrats sedan förra året. Att uppnå jämställdhet i OSSE går mycket långsamt på grund av avsaknad av politisk vilja och brist på implementering av beslut. Situationen i OSSE:s institutioner är nästan oförändrad sedan förra året, kvinnor är underrepresenterade i de flesta högre positioner. Den största obalansen finns på fältmissionerna och institutioner som ODIHR och Högkommissarien för nationella minoriteter. Genus main-streaming framhålls i Action Plan från 2004 som ett viktigt instrument för att komma till rätta med problemet i OSSE, vilket dock ännu inte nått önskad effekt.
Som tidigare år ledde Tone Tingsgård ett informellt frukostmöte om genusfrågor i OSSE. Dessa årliga möten ger tillfälle att diskutera genusfrågor och uppmuntra kvinnor att kandidera till poster inom församlingen.
Cecilia Wigström menade att samtliga tre kommittéer i församlingen bör tala om genusfrågan inom sina respektive ämnesområden med hänvisning till FN:s resolution 1325. Hon föreslog slutligen att församlingen vid lämplig tidpunkt skulle arrangera en konferens om genusfrågor.

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6 Församlingens bidrag till demokratisk utveckling

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En viktig uppgift för OSSE PA är att bidra till en fredlig lösning av kriser och att förebygga konflikter. Olösta konflikter hotar stabiliteten och säkerheten. Instabilitet inom OSSE:s medlemskrets och närområden innebär ett hot mot säkerheten och välståndet i hela regionen. Församlingens uppdrag är bl.a. att bidra till diskussioner om säkerhetshot och därigenom underlätta lösningen på låsta konflikter.
Församlingens president Göran Lennmarker besökte under året Centralasien, södra Kaukasus och Moldavien inklusive Transnistrien för att på plats få en bild av situationen och för diskussioner med parlamentariker och företrädare för ländernas regeringar.
6.1 Församlingens ad hoc-arbetsgrupper
Det finns ett antal ad hoc-arbetsgrupper, inrättade av presidenten, som under 2007 behandlade frågor rörande Vitryssland, Abchazien, Moldavien och samarbetet med OSSE:s institutioner.
6.1.1 Abchazien, Moldavien och Vitryssland
Tone Tingsgård leder församlingens arbetsgrupp för Abchazien. Under året har inga framsteg gjorts för att nå en lösning. Situationen i den georgiska utbrytarrepubliken är oförändrad.
Arbetsgruppen arrangerade under året ett sedan länge planerat seminarium i Vitryssland.
Ett besök i Moldavien genomfördes under året.
Kommittén för samarbete med OSSE:s institutioner följer kontinuerligt organisationens arbete i Wien.
6.2 Särskilda representanter
Församlingens president har rätt att utse församlingens medlemmar till s.k. särskilda representanter. Under 2007 hade församlingen tio särskilda representanter nämligen

Tone Tingsgård som genusrepresentant.
Göran Lennmarker som representant för konflikten i Nagorno-Karabach.
Christopher H Smith (USA) som rådgivare i kampen mot människohandel.
Alcee L Hastings (USA) som särskild representant för Medelhavsfrågor.
Anne-Marie Lizin (Belgien) som representant för frågan om Guantánamo.
Pétur Blöndal (Island) som representant för budgetfrågor inom OSSE.
Roberto Battelli (Slovenien) som särskild representant för Öst- och Centraleuropa.
Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland) som särskild representant för Centralasien.
Hilda Solis (USA) som särskild representant för migrationsfrågor.
Carlo Vizzini (Italien) som särskild representant i kampen mot organiserad brottslighet.
6.2.1 Församlingens särskilde representant för Nagorno-Karabach
Göran Lennmarker har sedan 2002 verkat som församlingens representant för konflikten i Nagorno-Karabach och har fortsatt med detta även efter valet till församlingens president. Uppdraget innebär att främja dialogen mellan parterna på alla samhällsnivåer men framför allt den parlamentariska, att rapportera till församlingens president samt att söka och finna metoder att bygga upp förtroende mellan parterna i konflikten. Arbetet sker i nära kontakt med OSSE:s Minskgrupp.

Lennmarker besökte i december Turkiet där han diskuterade frågan med landets president och utrikesminister.

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7 Valövervakning

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Fria och rättvisa val är ett viktigt instrument för att uppnå demokrati. Sedan organisationens tillkomst har valövervakningarna skett i samarbete med Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) samt ofta i samarbete med Europarådets parlamentariska församling, Europaparlamentet och under senare år även med Natos parlamentariska församling. Under 2007 har sex val till parlament övervakats av OSSE:s parlamentariska församling. Vid fem av dessa deltog medlemmar från riksdagens OSSE-delegation.
Parlamentsvalet i Serbien den 21 januari leddes av OSSE PA:s president Göran Lennmarker och övervakades av ett femtiotal parlamentariker, däribland Walburga Habsburg Douglas och Åsa Lindestam. Valet genomfördes i enlighet med internationella krav på demokratiska val.
Den 12 maj hölls parlamentsval i Armenien där Tone Tingsgård ledde övervakningen. Även Anna König Jerlmyr och Fredrick Federley deltog i valobservationen.
I Kazakstan hölls val den 18 augusti. Övervakningen leddes av Consiglio Di Nino, Kanada. Ingen svensk parlamentariker deltog i den övervakningen som hade en del brister och inte kunde anses vara ett val genomfört enligt demokratiska normer.
Parlamentsvalet i Ukraina hölls den 30 september och övervakningen leddes av Tone Tingsgård. I övrigt deltog inga svenskar i valet som i stora delar, men inte fullständigt, genomfördes enligt internationell standard.
Val till den ryska Duman hölls den 2 december och observationen leddes av Göran Lennmarker. Walburga Habsburg och Tone Tingsgård deltog också i övervakningen. Valet genomfördes inte i enlighet OSSE:s och Europarådets krav på ett demokratiska val.

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8 Samarbete med andra organisationer och närområden

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Europas samarbetsarkitektur har genomgått stora förändringar sedan 1990-talet. Både EU och Nato har utvidgat sin medlemskrets med länder från Östeuropa. OSSE är den enda regionala organisation som behandlar säkerhetspolitik där både USA och Ryssland är fullvärdiga medlemmar.
Trots att OSSE är en operativ organisation har den inte militära, organisatoriska eller finansiella resurser att hantera alla delar av en multifunktionell insats. Insatser för den demokratiska utvecklingen på Balkan samt erfarenheter av samarbete i samband med valobservationer i ett flertal länder har visat att OSSE tillsammans med andra regionala samarbetsorganisationer på ett positivt sätt kan bidra till att främja fred och demokrati. OSSE:s parlamentariska församling har ett etablerat samarbete med Europaparlamentet och Europarådets parlamentariska församling när det gäller valövervakningar och stabilitetspakten för sydöstra Europa.
8.1 Samarbetet i Medelhavsregionen
Medelhavsländernas delegationer i församlingen har strävat efter att öka sitt samarbete. Inom församlingen finns ingen officiell grupp för Medelhavsländerna. Ett förslag att inrätta regionala grupper avslogs av det ständiga utskottet 2002. Genom ett kompromissförslag etablerades i stället ett särskilt
Medelhavsforum där församlingens alla delegationer kan delta i en årlig konferens. Medelhavsområdet är ett naturligt regionalt samarbetsfält för de sydeuropeiska staterna.
Den parlamentariska församlingen har antagit ett antal resolutioner om samarbetet i Medelhavsområdet. Den särskilda relation som OSSE har till grannländerna vid Medelhavet har då noterats, och det ömsesidiga beroendet av säkerhet har betonats. Församlingen vill bidra till ett närmare samarbete inom Medelhavsområdet för att främja OSSE:s normer och principer. Det ska ske genom ökad politisk dialog, ekonomiskt samarbete och kulturutbyte samt genom starkare demokratiska institutioner och respekt för de mänskliga rättigheterna. Som ett led i dessa strävanden besökte Göran Lennmarker med delegation Algeriet den 1718 december.
8.2 Medelhavsforum
Församlingens femte Medelhavsforum ägde rum i Portoroz den 30 september under höstmötet. Forum var uppdelat i två sessioner: skydd av minoriteter och icke-diskriminering i Medelhavsområdet samt ekonomi- och klimatsamarbete.

2007/08:OSSE1

16

Sveriges delegation till OSSE:s parlamentariska församling

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Ordförande
Walburga Habsburg Douglas (m)
Vice ordförande
Tone Tingsgård (s)
Övriga ledamöter
Urban Ahlin (s)
Göran Lennmarker (m)
Ulrica Messing (s) ersattes i oktober av Åsa Lindestam
Håkan Juholt (s)
Fredrick Federley (c)
Cecilia Wigström (fp)
Suppleanter
Åsa Lindestam (s) ersattes i oktober av Peter Jeppsson
Kent Olsson (m)
Peter Jonsson (s)
Anna König Jerlmyr (m)
Marie Nordén (s)
Aleksander Gabelic (s)
Eva Selin Lindgren (c)
Annelie Enochson (kd)

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Den parlamentariska församlingens och utskottens ledning

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Församlingens presidium
President Göran Lennmarker (Sverige)
Vicepresidenter
Tone Tingsgård (Sverige)
Anne-Marie Lizin (Belgien)
Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland)
Panos Kamennos (Grekland)
Pia Christmas-Moeller (Danmark)
Jerahmiel Grafstein (Kanada)
Joao Soares (Portugal)
Barbara Haering (Schweiz)
Benjamin Cardin (USA)
Skattmästare
Hans Raidel (Tyskland)
Församlingens utskottspresidier
Utskottet för politik och säkerhet
Ordförande Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco)
Vice ordförande Consiglio Di Nino (Kanada)
Rapportör Arminas Lydeka (Litauen)
Utskottet för ekonomi, vetenskap, teknologi och miljö
Ordförande Leonid Ivanchenko (Ryssland)
Vice ordförande Petros Efthymiou (Grekland)
Rapportör Roland Blum (Frankrike)
Utskottet för mänskliga rättigheter och demokrati
Ordförande Jesús López-Medel (Spanien)
Vice ordförande Hilda Solis (USA)
Rapportör Walburga Habsburg Douglas (Sverige)

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OSSE:s medlemsstater

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Albanien
Moldavien
Andorra
Monaco
Armenien
Montenegro
Azerbajdzjan
Nederländerna
Belgien
Norge
Bosnien och Hercegovina
Polen
Bulgarien
Portugal
Cypern
Rumänien
Danmark
Ryska federationen
Estland
San Marino
Finland
Schweiz
Frankrike
Serbien och Montenegro
Förenta staterna
Slovakien
Georgien
Slovenien
Grekland
Spanien
Irland
Storbritannien
Island
Sverige
Italien
Tadzjikistan
Kanada
Tjeckien
Kazakstan
Turkiet
Kirgizistan
Turkmenistan
Kroatien
Tyskland
Lettland
Ukraina
Liechtenstein
Ungern
Litauen
Uzbekistan
Luxemburg
Vatikanstaten
Makedonien
Vitryssland
Malta
Österrike

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Samarbetspartner

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Afghanistan
Algeriet
Egypten
Israel
Japan
Jordanien
Korea
Marocko
Thailand
Tunisien

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20

BILAGA

BILAGA 2007/08:OSSE1

2007/08:OSSE1 BILAGA

KYIV
DECLARATION
OF THE

OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

AND

RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED

AT THE SIXTEENTH ANNUAL SESSION

KYIV, 5 to 9 JULY 2007

PREAMBLE

We, Parliamentarians of the OSCE participating States, have met in annual session in Kyiv on 5 to 9 July 2007 as the Parliamentary dimension of the OSCE to assess developments and challenges relating to security and cooperation, in particular on the implementation of OSCE Commitments, and we offer the following views to the OSCE Ministers.

We wish every success to the next OSCE Ministerial Council in Madrid on 29 and 30 November 2007 and bring to its attention the following Declaration and recommendations.

RESOLUTION ON
THE ROLE AND THE STATUS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY WITHIN THE OSCE

Aware of the ongoing transfer of standard setting (soft law) to the international level, which is an inevitable consequence of globalization,

Convinced that this process weakens the effectiveness of parliamentary oversight and therefore requires renewed efforts to ensure that the principles of representation, participation and transparency in the work of the executive are effectively observed in all multilateral processes,

Underlining as a consequence the need for an effective involvement of the PA in the work of the OSCE, as called for in the Charter of Paris,

Referring to the repeated acknowledgement by OSCE summits of the role of the PA as one of the OSCEs most important institutions (Istanbul Charter)

Emphasizing the already established procedures in the cooperation between the OSCE PA both as the OSCEs parliamentary dimension and as an institution on one side and the OSCEs executive structures on the other side, such as the participation of the OSCE PA in the meetings of the Ministerial Council, the annual presentation of the OSCE draft budget proposal to the Standing Committee of the PA and the comments by the PA on the Draft Budget, the dialogue between the PA President and the Permanent Council in Vienna on the Declarations of the Annual Assemblies, the participation of PA Representatives in all formal and informal open-ended meetings of the OSCE, the joint operations of the PA and the ODIHR in election-monitoring, the involvement of the PA in the work of the field missions, to name just a few,

Bearing in mind the PAs frequent calls in its Annual Assembly Declarations for enhanced OSCE reform efforts that include a strengthening of the PAs role, and recalling the pertinent reform proposals contained in the report from the Washington Colloquium 2005, which have been acknowledged by the Washington Annual Assembly Declaration, as well as the recommendations of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Transparency and Accountability,

Recognizing the important role that the PAs Institutional Headquarters in Copenhagen, its Secretary-General and its staff play in the day-to-day cooperation with the national parliamentary delegations and with the executive structures of the OSCE,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Emphasizes that the OSCEs parliamentary dimension is the organizations most valuable asset in enhancing the credibility of the OSCEs efforts to promote democracy and the establishment and the improvement of parliamentary institutions in the participating States;

Urges governments to increase their efforts to solidify the status and role of the PA as an integral part of the organization, while maintaining its autonomy, which characterizes any truly democratic parliamentary body;

Calls upon the national PA delegations to assist national parliaments in pointing out the importance of a full and unconditional respect for the status and role of the PA as the parliamentary institution of the OSCE to their governments;

Calls upon the OSCE Chairmanship to place before the Permanent Council the Report of the 2005 Washington Colloquium, along with the recommendations of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Transparency and Accountability, for consideration and discussion, including also with representatives of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly;

Underlines the special responsibility of the executive structures of the OSCE to respect past achievements in this regard and to include further progress in any new political or legal instrument that they are negotiating;

Asks governments to draw the only possible conclusion from the PAs status that persons acting on behalf of the OSCE PA enjoy the same rights and receive the same treatment as persons working for the OSCEs decision making bodies and executive structures;

Urges the OSCE executive structures to implement the Ministerial decision from Brussels which defines OSCE election monitoring as a joint PA-OSCE/ODIHR exercise on the basis of the 1997 Cooperation Agreement.

IMPLEMENTATION OF OSCE COMMITMENTS

CHAPTER I

POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SECURITY

I. Energy Security

Stressing that access to sustainable, competitive and reliable energy is fundamental to the daily lives of all citizens in the OSCE area and to the stability and security of our societies,

Emphasizing that energy security is one of the key elements of contemporary global security and is not merely an intergovernmental but a truly transnational issue,

Recalling the OSCE Strategy Document for the Economic and Environmental Dimension adopted at the Maastricht Meeting of the Ministerial Council in 2003,

Stressing the potential of the OSCE, on account of its wide membership, to contribute significantly to promoting global energy security by fostering a cooperative dialogue between producing, consuming and transit participating States, and recalling, in this respect, the OSCE Decision on Energy Security Dialogue in the OSCE adopted at the Brussels Meeting of the Ministerial Council in 2006,

Recognizing that international parliamentary institutions, especially the OSCE PA, play a decisive role in defining energy policies,

Recalling the provisions regarding energy security in the Brussels Declaration adopted at the Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in 2006,

Supporting the Gleneagles Plan of Action on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development adopted at the G8 summit in 2005 and the St. Petersburg Plan of Action on Global Energy Security adopted at the G8 summit in 2006,

Stressing the need further to promote the use of renewable energy sources and welcoming, in this respect, the target set by the European Union to increase the use of renewable energy, as a proportion of its overall energy consumption, to 12% by 2010 and to 20% by 2020,

Noting the European Commissions Green Paper on A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy issued in 2006,

Bearing in mind the importance of boosting the use of renewable energy sources,

Noting Resolution 1531 (2007) on the Peril of Using Energy Supply as an Instrument of Political Pressure adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in 2007,

Acknowledging that the increasing energy interdependence between producing, consuming and transit countries needs to be addressed through cooperative dialogue enabling them to benefit fully from this interdependence and further to promote global energy security with due regard for the interests of all stakeholders,

Reaffirming that ensuring a just balance between supply, demand in world markets for natural resources and their transportation remains one of the prerequisites for preventing possible tensions between States,

Expressing full support for the work of the OSCE Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Emphasizes that the OSCE has a comprehensive normative and organizational framework for promoting regional and global cooperation in energy security by raising awareness of challenges in this field and complementing relevant efforts of other stakeholders;

Strongly encourages participating States to implement their OSCE commitments and fulfil tasks regarding energy security and, to this end, to favour all initiatives aimed at enhancing energy security and continuous fostering of energy security dialogue, including in the OSCE area;

Urges all OSCE participating States to sign and ratify the Energy Charter Treaty if they have not yet done so;

Urges all OSCE participating States to commit themselves to successful completion of the Energy Charter Treaty Transit Protocol;

Welcomes the OSCEs support for the European Commissions efforts in strengthening cooperation and seeking a geographical diversification of energy supply;

Strongly rejects any attempts by OSCE participating States to use energy issues as a tool of political pressure;

Urges all OSCE participating States to observe market economy principles (fair competition, transparency and non-discriminatory transit) in the energy sector;

Welcomes an active role for the OSCE and its institutions in ensuring fair competition, transparency and non-discrimination in the energy field for the sake of the energy security of the OSCE participating States;

Urges OSCE participating States to do more to develop measures aimed at increasing energy saving and efficiency in households, industry, transport and services;

Invites OSCE PA participating States to particularly promote dialogue, inter alia by holding OSCE events at the political and expert levels, on the following key issues of international energy security:

confidence building between energy producing, consuming and transit countries;
creating new, and improving existing, mechanisms for implementation of commitments and obligations regarding energy security;
strengthening the international legal framework on energy issues;
improving national energy policies and legislation;
strengthening capacities of competent national authorities;
facilitating investment in the energy sector;
diversifying energy sources;
ensuring the safety of energy routes and critical energy infrastructure;
introducing energy-saving technologies;
developing alternative and renewable energy sources;
ensuring environmentally friendly oil, gas and coal extraction, preservation and transportation;
making the use of energy resources more efficient;
overcoming the consequences of the Chernobyl accident;

Urges OSCE participating States to further the use of renewable energy in their national energy markets and urges participating States to limit their greenhouse gas emissions in order to combat global warming;

Recommends that participating States sign and ratify the Kyoto Protocol;

Stresses the duty to cooperate, inform and consult among all potentially affected countries when planning and constructing international energy pipelines and installations;

Emphasizes the importance, for participating States, of introducing mechanisms for responding to crisis situations and supply difficulties;

Welcomes active involvement of the OSCE field operations in providing the participating States, upon their request, with all necessary assistance on issues of energy security;

Urges action by the OSCE participating States to develop an effective energy crisis management system and to implement their international commitments;

Welcomes the initiatives for the creation of new alternative routes for the transfer

of energy in the European market;

Encourages the coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities to submit an official report once a year to the Ministerial Council on progress made in implementing the Gleneagles Plan of Action on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Energy adopted at the G8 summit in 2005 and the St. Petersburg Plan of Action on Global Energy Security adopted at the G8 summit in 2006.

II. The Situation in Belarus

Supporting the important work being carried out by the OSCE Office in Minsk,

Acknowledging the cooperation demonstrated by the Belarusian Government with the OSCE Office in Minsk,

Welcoming the stated will of the Belarusian Parliament to work actively and cooperatively within the framework of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,

Welcoming the opportunity for the OSCE PA Working Group on Belarus and the Belarusian delegation to the OSCE PA in cooperation with the OSCE office in Minsk to organize a seminar entitled Exploring the Opportunities for Belarus within the European Neighbourhood Policy in March 2007, which constitutes a first step towards enhanced dialogue between Belarus and the international community and the intention of the Working Group to prepare a second seminar in line with the 2004 Edinburgh Agreement,

Being pleased that the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, was able to hold a two-day seminar for Belarusian journalists in Minsk at the beginning of June,

Being pleased that the Belarus Helsinki Committees lease was renewed and hoping that the Committees other problems can be cleared up soon as well,

Being pleased that the Belarusian Government has approved the opening of a European Commission representative office in Minsk and hoping that this measure, which is in the interests of both sides, can be implemented soon,

Regretting that the Belarusian presidential election on 19 March 2006 and the local Belarusian elections on 14 January 2007 both failed to meet the OSCE commitments for democratic elections,

Condemning the constant repression suffered by the political parties and the members of civil society, particularly the members of the Young Front group, and by the media that have remained independent,

Condemning the repression suffered in the recent past by the associations of Polish-speaking minorities,

Condemning the suppression of academic freedom and the exclusion of the Belarusian students who demonstrated in favour of freedom of expression in their country,

Regretting the amended Belarusian Electoral Code taking effect on 10 October 2006, which among other things restricted candidates rights to hold open-air campaigning meetings with voters,
Welcoming the European Commissions Non-paper What the European Union Could bring to Belarus, dated 21 November 2006,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Suggests that the Belarusian Government and Parliament take advantage of the EUs Neighbourhood Initiative for the development of a mutually beneficial relationship with the EU;

Welcomes the declared intention of Belarus to start a dialogue and strengthen its cooperation with European partners, and expects concrete steps for that purpose;

Calls upon Belarus and the EU to start the negotiation process as soon as possible on concluding the agreement on simplification of the procedure of visa issuance that will encourage development of interpersonal contact;

Calls upon the Belarusian Government as well as governments of other OSCE participating States actively to pursue their international commitments and principles, which are inextricably linked to the notion of a free and democratic European state;

Urges the Belarusian Government and Parliament to reform and decide upon the Electoral Code to meet OSCE standards;

Calls upon the Belarusian Government as well as governments of other OSCE participating States to respect the right to freedom of expression and access to independent information in national and international media as a fundamental part of all democratic societies,

Calls upon the Belarusian Government to respect the rights of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as a vital part of a healthy democracy by no longer hindering their legal existence or harassing and prosecuting members of NGOs, and allowing them to receive international assistance;

Urges the Belarusian Government to respect the rights of religious believers, especially members of minority religious communities that have been subjected to harassment and prosecution;

Calls upon the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners, to cease altogether the practice of imprisoning citizens on the basis of their political beliefs and to investigate or review the cases of disappeared persons properly and independently;

Recalls the need to complete the investigations into the disappearances of Youri Zakharanka, Viktar Hanchar, Anatol Krasouski and Dzmitry Zavadski;

Urges the Belarusian Government to invite the OSCE to observe all future elections;

Instructs and supports its ad hoc Working Group on Belarus to continue its efforts with its mandate;

Confirms that the OSCE PA remains committed to contributing to the progress of democratization, the rule of law, and respect of human rights in Belarus;

Welcomes the EUs offer to enter into a fully-fledged partnership with Belarus in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy if the Belarusian Government assumes a serious commitment to democratic values, human rights, and the rule of law and initiates a process of democratic reform.

CHAPTER II

ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Reaffirming the fact that the issue of migration concerns all three dimensions of the OSCE and must be addressed globally, in accordance with Decision No. 2/05 adopted by the Ljubljana Ministerial Council in December 2005,

Stressing the need to enhance synergy among host OSCE participating States towards promoting a sound, homogenous migration management strategy aimed at regulating migratory flows so as to maximize the economic and social benefits brought by legal migration, to minimize the loss caused to the countries of origin by migratory movements and to curb illegal immigration,

Underscoring the importance of increased cooperation among destination countries with the aim of maximizing the benefits gained from legal migration and by combating illegal migration,

Emphasizing that a comprehensive migration strategy should be effective not only in promoting the integration of immigrants into host societies, while respecting their cultural and religious diversity, but also in combating illegal immigration in strict observance of international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights,

Recalling the ministerial declaration adopted at the Brussels Ministerial Council in December 2006, calling on the Organizations structures to continue to concern themselves with this issue,

Welcoming the publication and dissemination of a practical guide on policies relating to labour-related migration for use by host countries and countries of origin, jointly produced by the OSCE, the International Organization for Migration and the International Labour Organization,

Welcoming the holding of a high-level dialogue on international migration and development at the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 2006,

Welcoming the decision taken at the European Council in December 2006 to deepen further the European Unions comprehensive policy on migration, on the basis of cooperation and partnership with third party States,

Affirming the need for concerted action to address the root causes of migration and emphasizing the close link between migration and development, which underlines our common understanding that migration can make an important contribution towards reducing poverty and achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals,

Underscoring the vulnerability of children and of female migrants, who represent half of the migratory flows in the world, but who are more likely to be paid lower wages, work longer hours, have less job security and face increased sexual harassment, abuse and discrimination,

Noting the interconnection between trafficking in human beings and illegal migration and condemning criminal networks that facilitate illegal immigration,

Emphasizing the need also to address the role transit countries play concerning migratory flows,

Stressing the need for the OSCE to enhance its contribution with regard to border control assessment and building in the Mediterranean region and North Africa, major origin regions of illegal migration,

Approving the plan of action elaborated at the Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development in Rabat, in July 2006 and the declaration of specific measures issued at the Euro-African Ministerial Conference held in Tripoli in November 2006,

Welcoming the initiative of the European Commission to create information centres in migrants countries of origin,

Recognizing that the successful integration of immigrants into their new community is critical to the development of a cohesive and assimilated community and to the well-being of society as a whole,

Reiterating the importance of economic development opportunities in the home country, in particular the availability of micro-credit, as a long-term solution to migrant labour problems,

Recognizing the social and emotional toll on families, especially children, when parents must migrate to find work,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Calls for the elaboration and implementation of a single statistical system on migratory flows in order to make available common, impartial and reliable data on the subject;

Encourages participating States to sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers;

Urges participating States to sign and ratify the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, adopted by the United Nations on 15 November 2000, in order to fight illegal immigration;

Encourages the activities undertaken by the OSCE Special Representative responsible for fighting trafficking in human beings;

Urges participating States to undertake special efforts to dismantle criminal networks and deter those activities that facilitate illegal migration;

Recommends that participating States that are host countries reach readmission agreements with the countries of origin, in which case the contracting parties should expressly agree to cooperate in identifying persons who are in line for deportation but whose nationality is not yet known;

Invites participating States to sign and ratify the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, adopted by the United Nations on 15 November 2000;

Calls for the signature of bilateral or regional agreements between the countries of origin and host countries in order to facilitate harmonized management of migratory flows;

Calls for an increase in the number of OSCE information centres for migrants along the model of those installed in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan;

Encourages the development of partner-based immigration by favouring dialogue and cooperation between the countries of origin, the countries of transit and the host countries;

Calls for appropriate cooperation in bilateral and multilateral programmes favouring co-development projects;

Calls on participating States to boost their efforts concerning border control functions in the Mediterranean region and North Africa, major origin regions of illegal migration;

Calls for the transfer of migrants remittances to their countries of origin to be carried out in a secure and low-cost manner;

Encourages the setting-up of savings accounts for migrants aimed at fostering productive investment in their countries of origin;

Urges cooperation with diasporas and financial support for organizations and associations that contribute to the economic and social development of their country of origin;

Calls on the President of the OSCE PA to appoint a Special Representative on Migration to examine ways the OSCE and the OSCE PA can further the development of migrant labour systems that are humane and meet the economic needs of both the labourer and the host countries;

Encourages countries to establish legal frameworks for the orderly entrance and employment of migrant labourers in order to ensure that workers are treated fairly and not exploited.

CHAPTER III

DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN
QUESTIONS

Democracy as a binding ethical value

Reaffirming that democratic and ethical values must act as a common link in the task of providing more security and cooperation in the OSCE area,

Recognizing that the basis of identities, political order and social peace is the effective respect of human dignity, human rights, freedom, democracy and the rule of law,

Considering that the societies of OSCE participating States must always aspire to define themselves in terms of pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, peaceful coexistence, justice, equality and solidarity,

Considering that a fundamental dimension of the political systems of OSCE participating States must be equality, without any discrimination based on birth, race, sex, origin, religion, opinions or any other personal or social condition, and reaffirming the need to combat discrimination and promote mutual respect and understanding,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Affirms the fact that only through a commitment to these ethical principles and values can effective progress be achieved, and that such progress will become even more effective if there are mechanisms for cooperation and consultations among the States;

Bearing in mind that discrimination based on gender continues to exist, emphasizes the need to implement active gender equality policies, promoting a greater presence of women in the political arena, and taking measures that not only effectively guarantee each persons freedom to have a sexual identity and enjoy equality of rights, but also ensure that discrimination based on gender does not occur;

Considers that efforts to achieve security should always be undertaken without prejudice to fundamental human rights and freedoms;
Affirms the fact that, in the endeavour to reinforce security and fight any threat to it, not everything is appropriate, admissible or intelligent and not everything is allowed;

Believes that one of the main achievements of civilizations in developed democracies is the fact that the authorities are subject not only to national legislation and international conventions but also to the democratic values that underpin them;

While safeguarding democratic values in all cases, not being indifferent as to how to react, and ensuring that the response to any attacks must be concerted as far as possible, rejects the notion that, in order to preserve security, any of the basic rules and rights of a democratic system can be disregarded.

II.

Development of political freedoms

Considering that the main axis of democracy is the proclamation and enforcement of human rights and fundamental freedoms, along with their progressive generalization,

Bearing in mind that any political action must be based on dignity and the value of freedoms and that participating States must constantly reiterate their full commitment to the development of these values,

Considering that political freedoms are essential to the development of the societies of OSCE participating States, and that State authorities must guarantee their effectiveness and in no case promote or accept limitations to these values,

Emphasizing the essential nature of the development of freedom of thought and its expression, and expressing its attachment to the freedom of the press, the freedom to demonstrate, participation in political elections and the principle of justice,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Reaffirms the crucial importance of the freedom of speech, press and information in any society, considering these freedoms to be a sine qua non tool for guaranteeing the effectiveness and credibility of democracy in the OSCE participating States;

Reaffirms its demand that independent media be freely established, along with guarantees for media professionals to exercise those freedoms without fear of dismissal or loss of life, while facilitating the activity of all professionals, regardless of their nationality;

Urges the authorities in all States to make firm commitments to preventing the erosion of those freedoms and the atmosphere of impunity that in some cases has led to journalists being threatened or abducted;

Requests states not to restrict fundamental political freedoms such as the right to demonstrate, as a democratic expression of ideas in a pluralistic system;

Reaffirms the commitment to strengthening the right to a justice system that is clearly independent from the government and not subject to the authorities, reaffirming this as a means of avoiding vendettas or parallel judgements or judgements made outside the institutional system;

Reaffirms the value of human life and calls for the abolition in the participating States of the death penalty, replacing it with more just and humane means of delivering justice.

III. Holding of democratic elections:

OSCE monitoring

Considering that the essence of democracy is the right of the sole holder of sovereignty, the people, to decide who will assume the positions that entail the exercise of authority and that, by carrying out independent and evidence-based observation in cooperation with the host countries, Election Monitoring Missions serve to promote democracy and human rights,

Reaffirming the need for the participating States legal frameworks fully to respect the OSCE commitments, including the principles of transparency, equal opportunities, freedom of expression and regular elections,

Attaching great importance to the special position of parliaments as the only directly accountable democratic bodies to which citizens grant their representation and also bearing in mind the fact that governments must obtain the trust of parliamentary institutions,

Attaching great importance to the representative value of those who assume democratically elected positions at an institutional level,

Considering it to be fundamental that holding elections offers the greatest credibility, at both domestic and international levels,

Bearing in mind that, without detriment to other bodies, the OSCE PA offers the greatest reliability and international credibility, given the experience of its observers,

Considering the validity and relevance of the 1997 Copenhagen Cooperation Agreement between the OSCE PA and ODIHR,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Reaffirms the strengthening of parliaments as directly accountable democratic institutions and essential channels through which citizens grant their representation, since it is the citizens who must clearly establish the standards binding the authorities;

Recommends that the participating States ensure that their electoral legislation meets the demands of pluralism, transparency, equal opportunities and freedom of speech;

Requests that States guarantee that election practices respect the aforementioned principles, underlining the importance of the neutrality of public officials;

Considers that the right to participate in elections should not be unduly restricted, thus rejecting the imposition of unnecessary and excessive requirements to stand as a candidate in an election;

Reaffirms the importance of the fact that elections held in the OSCE area fully comply with OSCE commitments regarding truly democratic elections;

Reiterates the relevance here of Electoral Observation Missions in demonstrating support for a democratic process and assisting participating States to conduct genuine elections in line with OSCE commitments;

Emphasizes the importance of combining the technical and political dimensions, the perception of those who run as candidates in their countries of origin being especially valuable in this regard;

Emphasizes the fact that the final assessment of an electoral process has an undeniable political relevance, and that, in this regard, an effort must be made to define clearly the conclusions to be made public;
Reaffirms its desire to maintain the technical cooperation provided by ODIHR, reiterating the need fully to observe the Copenhagen Agreement and show the greatest willingness to make cooperation possible;

Is firmly convinced that long-term and short-term election monitoring along with election monitoring by experts and parliamentarians complement one another; that the ODIHR methodology is based on long-term on-site observations that make a valuable contribution to reaching objective findings and solid conclusions

in a joint effort; that parliamentarians contribute a wide range of professional political experience and give election monitoring missions visibility;

Reaffirms its previously-expressed unanimous will that, for the benefit of credibility and trust in electoral observation missions, the role of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and its leadership regarding these tasks be respected and supported by all, being solely subject in this regard to the said Copenhagen Cooperation Agreement.

IV. Reinforcement of the principle of participation

Considering the vital need to reinforce mechanisms for a better organization of civil society, and the essential nature in this regard of the participation principle as tool for democratic participation,

Affirming the importance of a society with a life and organization of its own besides the institutional workings of the authorities,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Expresses its commitment to the promotion, by the participating States themselves, of the strengthening of civil society, an expression of the principle of participation, boosting rather than suffocating any initiatives emerging from society itself;

Promotes the true and effective recognition of the right of association in all fields and makes a commitment to broaden the scope of action of social groups and NGOs.

V. Transparency and the fight against corruption

Considering the importance of the authorities acting with transparency and being subject to the rule of law, together with the need for administrative, political and judicial control to act properly in a system of freedom of information,

Bearing in mind the fact that the institutional authorities must not allow the existence of influential groups that are not subject to the rule of law or to police or judicial controls,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Reaffirms its commitment to reinforce the transparency of the authorities actions, taking firm measures against any form of corruption, at political or social level, and promoting where necessary legislative measures for that purpose;

Promotes the adoption of measures to fight mafia-like criminal organizations which are not only linked to public corruption relating to finances, politics or town planning, but are also of a transnational nature;

Affirms the need to step up the fight against drug-trafficking organizations, which not only severely damage the health and lives of individuals but also generate insecurity and a flow of funds, owing to an atmosphere of impunity or at least to the flagrant inadequacy of resources to fight them;

Reiterates the need to strengthen the mechanisms to fight trafficking in human beings, particularly women and children, as forms of exploitation and degradation of the dignity of persons.

VI.

Immigration

Considering that immigration is a reality calling for a response based on common action and a multi-faceted approach, in which, alongside security measures, other decisions of a political, economic, social and humanitarian nature must be taken,

Reaffirming the existence of fundamental universal human rights that all human beings are entitled to, regardless of their country of origin,

Considering that a key element of migration is a situation of absolute vulnerability and the total lack of expectations in the countries of origin, problems that the developed world has been unable to solve,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Reiterates the need to reinforce cooperation in migration flow control mechanisms so that the OSCE participating States can absorb migration in terms of labour and society;

Urges all authorities addressing the issue of migration to reconcile the need to preserve the cultures of OSCE participating States with the notion that plurality is enriching for everyone;

Points to the need to strengthen integration tools, thus avoiding ghettos and granting migrants not only civil but also social rights, including the rights to health, education and a decent livelihood.

VII. Protection of persons belonging to minorities and of religious freedom

Considering that democracy is based, among other fundamental rules, on the respect for the rights of persons belonging to minorities and the promotion of mutual respect and tolerance,

Considering that tolerance which does not in itself assume any kind of superiority is clearly a value to be preserved in pluralistic societies,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Acknowledges the progress made with regard to the protection of members of minority groups, but considers that it is still necessary to safeguard the conditions for members of minority groups to be able to express their own ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious identities within an integrated and cohesive society;

Urges that access to all social benefits be provided to all residents, subject to any citizenship requirements, on a non-discriminatory basis;

Reaffirms the absolute need to guarantee religious freedom, which should not work as a discriminating element, thus rejecting any form of religious intolerance including anti-Semitism, Islamophobia or Christianophobia and promoting the respect for symbols of all religions.

VIII. Development cooperation

Aware of the fact that the acute poverty faced by a majority of the human population derives from structural causes, corruption and an absence of democracy, inter alia,

Also aware of the fact that another of the reasons is the lack of effective commitment on the part of the First World to show more commitment in implementing measures to fight this scourge,

Bearing in mind the first of the United Nations Millennium Goals, namely the decision to halve the worlds poverty by the year 2015,

Also bearing in mind that millions of people lose their lives every year owing to extreme poverty,

Recognizing that an increasing number of specialized asset management companies, commonly known as vulture funds, buy the distressed commercial debt of heavily indebted poor countries and then engage in abusive litigation against these countries in the hope of benefiting from multilateral debt relief,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Demands a more intense application of the principles of solidarity and justice for those facing situations of total vulnerability, by increasing development aid for these countries;

Calls for stronger measures to ensure that, alongside basic social welfare policy, this cooperation respects human rights, the promotion of democracy and equality between men and women;

Urges the World Bank to intensify the buy-back of outstanding commercial debt of all eligible countries to remove at-risk debts from the public domain, and to expand the International Development Associations debt reduction facility so that it is available sooner to heavily indebted poor countries and includes debts owed to semi-commercial enterprises of non-OECD countries;

Recommends that OSCE participating States provide greater legal and technical assistance to heavily indebted poor countries facing possible litigation, and develop a code of conduct on responsible lending for commercial creditors that discourages or prohibits vulture fund profiteering and provides greater legal protection to debtor countries;

Undertakes to strengthen coordination between migration policies and policies in the field of development cooperation, defining these countries as priority areas for cooperation;

Considers the development of humanitarian aid to refugees and displaced persons to be a priority, promoting their voluntary return whenever possible.

RESOLUTION ON
CONFLICT SETTLEMENT IN THE OSCE AREA

Reaffirming the role of the OSCE as a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the UN Charter and a key instrument for early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation in its region,

Recognizing the essential role of the negotiation process with the participation of all sides for the full-scale settlement of the conflict,

Reiterating its deep concern over the persistence of conflicts in various regions in the OSCE area, in particular in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova,

Recognizing that unresolved conflicts in the OSCE area threaten the observance of the OSCE principles and have an impact on regional and international peace and stability,

Stressing the urgent need for the international community, including the OSCE, to exhibit the necessary political determination towards the settlement of long-standing problems in the OSCE region, in accordance with international law, OSCE principles and pertinent United Nations Security Council resolutions,

Acknowledging that persisting conflicts in the OSCE area undermine the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the participating States concerned, impede democratic reforms and sustainable development in those states, hinder regional cooperation and development,

Reaffirming its adherence to the principles of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the OSCE participating States and the inviolability of their internationally recognized borders,

Emphasizing the commitment assumed by OSCE participating States, on account of their OSCE membership, to respect the principles of this Organization, as well as the need for the OSCE to ensure observance by participating States of its principles pertaining to international law, by reviewing and reinforcing its oversight mechanisms for commitment implementation,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Expresses its deep regret at the lack of substantial progress toward a political settlement of the existing conflicts in various regions of the OSCE area;

Urges all parties involved to engage in good faith in the search for negotiated solutions in order to achieve a comprehensive and lasting political settlement based on the norms and principles of international law;

Maintains that the peaceful settlement of conflicts in the OSCE area should remain a top OSCE priority, and supports the facilitation of a political settlement to the conflicts, elimination of the sources of tension among the parties, restoration of confidence and promotion of political reconciliation, including signing of the agreements on non-resumption of hostilities and security guarantees;

Supports all efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the frozen conflicts in Moldova and Georgia based on the principles of territorial integrity of these countries and the complete fulfilment of the 1999 Istanbul Commitments;

Calls upon all parties to make full use of the available negotiating mechanisms and formats in a constructive spirit;

Expresses its concern at the persistence of blockades and closed borders between OSCE participating States;

Warns against using settlement of some conflicts as precedents for resolving the others;

Urges parliamentarians of the OSCE participating States to intensify their efforts in order to promote negotiated solutions to these conflicts;

Urges the

use of cooperation between conflicting parties as a confidence-building measure in order to facilitate the search for settlement.

RESOLUTION ON
WOMEN IN PEACE AND SECURITY

Underlining the fact that civilians, particularly women and children, account for the vast majority of those affected by armed conflicts,

Recalling that armed conflicts are a breeding ground for atrocities against women and other vulnerable groups of civilians such as children and elderly people,

Underlining the fact that the participation of women and girls and the inclusion of gender perspectives in both formal and informal peace processes are crucial in the establishment of sustainable peace,

Welcoming the discussions and decisions initiated by the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security,

Welcoming the fact that several OSCE participating States have already developed and adopted National Action Plans on UNSC Resolution 1325,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Encourages OSCE participating States to develop, adopt and implement national action plans on women, peace and security;

Recommends that the OSCE works as a regional network supporting, coordinating and reviewing the development and implementation of national activities in this field.

RESOLUTION ON
THE BAN ON CLUSTER BOMBS

Stressing the importance of the Conference held in Oslo on 22 and 23 February 2007, where those states which participated committed themselves to conclude by 2008 a legally binding international instrument to ban cluster bombs,

Underlining the serious humanitarian consequences and the highly destructive impact on civilians of the use of such weapons in all conflicts where they have been deployed,

Being aware of the threat unexploded munitions continue to pose for years to people who come into contact with them, particularly to children because of their toy-like appearance,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Calls on OSCE participating States to adopt legislation prohibiting the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions that gravely affect civil populations;

Urges OSCE participating States to stimulate a global campaign and a process that could lead to an international ban on cluster bombs.

RESOLUTION ON
THE ILLICIT AIR TRANSPORT OF SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS AND THEIR AMMUNITION

Reaffirming the importance of the multidimensional concept of the OSCEs common, global, cooperative and indivisible security according to the principles contained in the OSCE Strategy to Address Threats to Security and Stability in the Twenty-First Century and the OSCE Strategy Document for the Economic and Environmental Dimension,

Recalling the 2006 Resolution of the OSCE PA on the Illicit Transportation of Small Arms and Light Weapons and their Ammunition,

Recalling that the November 2000 OSCE Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons forms the political framework for action in this field for the OSCE participating States and that it already contains many elements important to help combat illicit transportation of small arms and light weapons, including the improvement of cooperation in the field of law enforcement,

Underscoring that the implementation of some elements of the Document, such as the 2004 OSCE Principles on the Control of Brokering and the Standard Elements for End-User Certificates, are important accompanying policies,

Welcoming the special meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation on 21 March 2007 on Illicit Trafficking by Air of Small Arms and Light Weapons, the first meeting on this subject on the international calendar,

Taking note of the conclusions of that meeting, namely the usefulness of an information exchange between States, the clear added value of a dialogue with and within the air cargo transportation sector and with relevant international organizations as well as the development of a best practice guide,

Concerned that no specific international regulations on the transport of small arms and light arms as cargo exist,

Mindful of the devastating effect on human security of the uncontrolled spread of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Calls upon the participating States to follow up on the results of the 21 March meeting on Illicit Trafficking by Air of Small Arms and Light Weapons, in particular to:

criminalize the violation of UN Security Council arms embargoes;
engage in a dialogue with the air cargo transportation sector with a view to closing the loopholes for illegal transportation of small arms and light weapons;
promote the wider introduction and use of air traffic control systems;
promote the use of air traffic control data for purposes of ex post facto analysis and of notification for control of flights suspected of engaging in trafficking in small arms and light weapons;

Recommends the adoption in the OSCE area of a best practice guide on the transportation of small arms and light weapons and ammunition by air;

Urges participating States to establish coordination between their relevant national authorities;

Calls upon participating States to ensure that effective procedures are established for the management and security of national stockpiles of weapons and their ammunition and for the safe destruction of surplus stocks, and encourages participating States to provide assistance for this purpose;

Calls upon OSCE participating States to support and implement national regional and international efforts and regulations on arms trade, export licensing and brokering;

Calls upon OSCE participating States and OSCE Partners for Co-operation also to discuss the issue of illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons in the appropriate regional forums in Africa and Asia of which they are a member;

Encourages OSCE participating States to promote and engage in international cooperation, particularly in and with Africa, to create better conditions to combat the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons.

RESOLUTION ON
ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY STRATEGY

Underlining the importance environment-related issues can have as part of the global security,

Noting the fact that environmental co-operation can be an effective catalyst for reducing tensions, broadening co-operation and promoting peace,

Welcoming the discussions and decisions taken by the Economic and Environmental Forum of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, held in May 2007 in Prague,

Recalling the efforts and experiences OSCE participating States as well as other international organizations have already undertaken in fostering environmental security,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Welcomes every constructive effort the OSCE undertakes to help its 56 participating States and 11 Partners for Co-operation to tackle environmental security threats and thus to promote stability;

Encourages the ongoing work of the OSCE to develop an Environmental Security Strategy for the Organization to be debated at the OSCE Ministerial Council in November in Madrid;

Recommends that the OSCE works closely together with OSCE participating States as well as national and other international organizations experienced in the field of environmental security;

Calls upon OSCE participating States to develop their own environmental security strategies.

RESOLUTION ON
LIBERALIZATION OF TRANSATLANTIC TRADE

Remembering the historical events that shaped the common cultural values of Europe and North America, and on which the OSCE is based,

Recognizing the importance of international trade for economic growth, the stability of peaceful international relations and the promotion of these shared values,

Reiterating the vital importance of the economic and environmental dimension of security for the OSCE,

Recalling the importance that the OSCE PA attaches to the development of international trade as underlined by the Assemblys Fifth Economic Conference on Strengthening Stability and Cooperation through International Trade, held in Andorra on 24 and 25 May 2007,

Recalling the recommendations of the OSCE Best Practices Guide for a Positive Business and Investment Climate, published by the Office of the Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, which advocate stronger international trade policies and conditions favourable to the circulation of international capital,

6. Concurring with the conclusions of the Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities that free trade agreements and the reduction of tariffs are vital to a strong trade policy,

Drawing the appropriate lessons from history and economic integration, free trade zones and investment compacts, which demonstrate that cooperation among trade partners produces more shared economic benefits than protectionism,

Recalling the commitments made by the participating States at the Maastricht Ministerial Council in December 2003 regarding the liberalization of trade and the elimination of barriers limiting market access,

Recognizing the considerable impact that North America and Europe now have on international trade conditions,

Considering that the economic ties linking Europe and North America have reached such proportions in recent decades that their respective economic growth is increasingly interconnected,

Considering that stronger transatlantic economic ties would be beneficial to all OSCE participating States,

Noting that the appeal of the emerging markets of Asia and South America is not sufficient to reduce the scope and depth of the economic integration of Europe and North America,

Recognizing that, despite this integration, trade barriers limit the development of significant growth and employment potential,

The Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE recommends that the parliaments of the participating States of the OSCE:

Vigorously support all initiatives to promote the liberalization of transatlantic trade, including the harmonization of standards and the elimination of regulatory barriers;

Facilitate the development of transatlantic partnership agreements among members of existing free trade zones, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, the European Union, the European Free Trade Association and the Central European Free Trade Agreement;

Raise awareness among OSCE participating States of the considerable shared benefits of stronger initiatives to promote the liberalization of trade.

RESOLUTION ON
STRENGTHENING OSCE ENGAGEMENT WITH HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AND NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS

Recalling and reaffirming the important role of civil society and non-governmental organizations in our societies as also recognized in the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and expressing genuine appreciation for the contribution of civil society to the promotion and implementation of OSCE principles, standards, commitments and values,

Recalling that the commitments undertaken in the field of the human dimension are matters of direct and legitimate concern to all participating States and are not exclusively the internal affairs of the state concerned, as stipulated in the 1991 Moscow Document entered into by all participating States,

Reaffirming that the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms is one of the basic responsibilities of states, and the recognition of and respect for these rights and freedoms constitutes the foundation of freedom, justice and peace,

Recalling that the OSCE participating States committed themselves to respect the right of their citizens to contribute actively, individually or in association with others, to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and to take necessary action in their respective countries to effectively ensure this right,

Recalling and reaffirming the Resolution on Cooperation with Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly at the Annual Session in 2006, calling upon the OSCE participating States to seek and implement ways of further promoting exchange of views through an open and constructive dialogue with human rights defenders,

Recalling the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders) and the responsibility it places on states to adopt and implement adequate legislation and administrative procedures that would provide for a conducive environment for human rights defenders to promote and strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels,

Recalling the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions (The Paris Principles), adopted by the UN General Assembly resolution on 20 December 1993, identifying the crucial role of independent national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in promoting and protecting human rights in a pluralist manner by being co-operative with a range of groups and institutions, including governmental authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), judicial institutions and professional bodies,

Recalling the OSCE Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) of 30 and 31 March 2006 entitled Human Rights Defenders and National Human Rights Institutions: Legislative, State and Non-State Aspects and the recommendations made thereat including the need for particular attention, support and protection for human rights defenders by the OSCE, its Institutions and field operations, as well as by participating States,

Deploring that in a number of OSCE participating States, human rights defenders continuously work under extreme pressure from state authorities and face restrictions, in particular on the exercise of freedom of expression, association and assembly,

Expressing concern and disappointment with regard to the introduction of new legislation in a number of participating States that places further restrictions and constraints on the activities of human rights defenders, in particular by making them subject to unnecessary bureaucratic burdens, arbitrary detentions, assaults, ill-treatment, or defamation campaigns,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Recognizes that domestic law consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and other international obligations of the state in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms is the legal framework within which human rights and fundamental freedoms should be implemented and enjoyed, and within which all activities for the promotion, protection and effective realization of those rights and freedoms should be conducted;

Recognizes that human rights and fundamental freedoms are most likely to be secured when citizens either individually or collectively are able to hold their government to account and notes the particular importance of respect for the freedoms of association and peaceful assembly, as they are intrinsic to the exercise by citizens of their right to express their opinions and to raise publicly issues of concern, and their ability to contribute to their resolution;

Recognizes that everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to have effective access, on a non-discriminatory basis, to participation in the government of his or her country and in the conduct of public affairs;

Recognizes the crucial role independent national human rights institutions can play in advancing and securing human rights and the need to foster links between these institutions and other groups in civil society;

Urges OSCE participating States to establish national human rights institutions in accordance with the Paris Principles, to take the appropriate measures to ensure their independence and all steps necessary to promote their working in partnership with and as advocates for other representatives of civil society;

Urges OSCE participating States to reaffirm the important role of human rights defenders and national human rights institutions in protecting and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms at the 2007 Ministerial

Council in Madrid;

Urges OSCE participating States to address the remaining challenges, the lack of progress and even set-backs with respect to the implementation of the freedoms of expression, association and assembly, under threat from a range of excessively restrictive laws and policies and that negatively affect the working environment of human right defenders;

Commends the OSCE/ODIHR for its continued assistance to participating States in this respect, particularly by reviewing legislation linked to human rights and fundamental freedoms, as they affect activities of human rights defenders, but also the development and recent publication of Guidelines on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly;

Recognizes the role that parliamentarians play in their respective States in this regard and reaffirms the commitment to honour and promote the implementation of existing commitments within their national assemblies;

Recommends that the Parliamentary Delegations to the OSCE enhance their engagement with human rights defenders and national human rights institutions in their respective States, thereby making use of the assistance and resources developed by the OSCE/ODIHR;

Welcomes the establishment of a Focal Point for Human Rights Defenders and National Human Rights Institutions within the OSCE/ODIHR and its enhanced focus on monitoring the situation of these important actors, following the recommendations made at the 2006 SHDM;

Emphasizes the importance of providing adequate funding to the OSCE/ODIHR, in particular its Focal Point for Human Rights Defenders and National Human Rights Institutions, as needed, to support their activities;

Underlines the crucial role of the OSCE field operations in assisting human rights defenders and national human rights institutions and encourages the field operations to further undertake projects aimed at capacity building and training for human rights defenders and promoting dialogue among and between human rights defenders, national human rights institutions and governments, in particular in the legislative process;

Urges the OSCE participating States to increase participation of human rights defenders and representatives of national human rights institutions in the Organizations institutional structures, including involvement in the activities of the Permanent Council and Ministerial Council.

RESOLUTION ON
STRENGTHENING OF COUNTERACTION OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN OSCE PARTICIPATING STATES

Recognizing that the OSCE, as a regional organization, is an important element in the field of human rights protection and prevention of any forms of violence and discrimination as well as in the promotion of the rule of law principle and prevention of any kind of trafficking in persons,

Considering that the OSCE plays an important role in strengthening the cooperation between all its participating States in the prevention of trafficking in persons,

Expressing appreciation for the ongoing work of the Office of the Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings as well as anti-trafficking efforts undertaken by OSCE Missions and Field Presences,

Expressing concern about the increase in trafficking in persons, the emergence of new kinds and forms of the recruitment and exploitation of victims, the increase in the activity of international criminal groups and organizations in this field, and about inadequate state efforts to combat these,

Recognizing that trafficking in persons is an international crime and a severe infringement of human rights and human dignity, and that it is a modern form of slavery,

Taking into consideration international and regional initiatives on fighting trafficking in persons,

Supporting efforts of the participating States on implementation of the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings (2003) as well as the principles of the OSCE PA Brussels Declaration (2006),

Taking into consideration the necessity of establishing clear and transparent legal instruments aimed towards the protection of human rights and the creation of special monitoring methods,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Appeals to all participating States to increase their efforts on the prevention and counteraction of trafficking in persons and especially in children at the national as well as international level, including domestic trafficking in persons;

Urges those participating States that have not already done so to adopt and implement comprehensive anti-trafficking laws, policies and practices, addressing human trafficking in all its forms and enabling prosecution of traffickers, prevention of trafficking, including demand, and protection of trafficking victims, and to make available the necessary resources to governmental agencies, including law enforcement, and relevant non-governmental organizations to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of measures aimed at prosecution, prevention and protection;

Supports all efforts with regard to the coordination and strengthening of cooperation in this field at the international and national level;

Appeals to national governments and parliaments to consider as a matter of priority signing and ratifying the European Convention against trafficking in persons and to apply its provisions for protecting victims, and on strengthening international cooperation as well as establishment of the prevention measures system;

Warns against developing and using discriminatory forms of anti-trafficking policy and practice that lead to prohibitions and restrictions of movement of citizens;

Considers necessary to support and implement supportive attitudes towards victims, to respect their rights, to protect victims independently of their willingness to cooperate with law enforcement;

Urges participating States to establish and strengthen transparent, effective

and independent methods of gathering information, monitoring state activity in this field, including the creation of national coordinators, national rapporteurs, data collection capabilities and networks against trafficking in persons;

Understands the importance of the development of international law enforcement cooperation for effective prosecution of criminals and the conclusion of bilateral and multilateral treaties in this field;

Supports the activity of civil society organizations and NGOs as important partners in rendering assistance to victims, in providing preventive activity and in lobbying for law reform based on the principles of human rights protection;

Appeals to participating States to actively cooperate with NGOs working in this area and to provide financial resources for the realization of important programmes;

Encourages media outlets in source, transit and destination countries to play a more vigorous role in helping to educate the public about the many facets of human trafficking, including factors contributing to demand for all forms of trafficking, and informing individuals what actions they might take if they encounter victims of trafficking;

Considers that the development of a system that renders assistance to the victims, based on national referral mechanisms, is important for the effective counteraction of trafficking in persons;

Considers it necessary to implement access to justice for trafficked persons and strengthening the effectiveness of judicial protection of victims by providing them with unconditional, free of charge legal assistance,

Appeals to participating States to develop and adopt national laws that criminalize all kinds of trafficking in persons and not only trafficking in persons with the aim of sexual exploitation;

Urges the OSCE and the participating States to increase their focus on the widespread trafficking of human beings for forced labour, including bonded labour, involuntary servitude, domestic servitude, and child labour and to develop strategies for addressing the socio-economic roots of labour trafficking;

Strongly urges the OSCE and the participating States to take immediate steps to promote the aggressive prosecution of those responsible for the trafficking of infants, children and youth, to prevent such crimes against children and to protect victims, including through implementation of the recommendations contained in the Addendum to the OSCE Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings: Addressing the Special Needs of Child Victims of Trafficking for Protection and Assistance by:

developing coordinated referral mechanisms specifically to address protection and assistance measures which focus on the special needs of child victims of trafficking;
facilitating special training for law enforcement and direct service personnel on proper and effective methods to identify child victims of trafficking;
forming partnerships with civil society to develop a comprehensive approach to protect and assist child victims of trafficking; and
establishing educational outreach programmes aimed at particularly vulnerable populations of children and youth, including those residing in state institutions;

25.

Urges those participating States that have not already done so to establish national hotlines for reporting missing and exploited children, including sexual exploitation of children through sex tourism, trafficking, pornography and prostitution;

Supports the strengthening of cooperation between states, international organizations and NGOs in this field;

Understands that tackling root causes of trafficking, such as poverty, gender inequality and discrimination, is a fundamental element in the international fight against trafficking and that corresponding policies should include provisions to this effect;

Recognizes the need to arrive at a better understanding of what constitutes demand and how to combat it, decides to strengthen efforts to counter the demands for victims of trafficking in persons, and encourages the OSCE participating States to consider adopting legislative or other measures, such as educational, social or cultural measures, to discourage and reduce the demand that fosters all forms of exploitation of persons, especially women and children, and that thus promote trafficking;

Understands that any anti-trafficking measures should not adversely affect or infringe upon the human rights of trafficked persons or other affected groups and should comply with the norms, standards and principles of the international human rights system.

RESOLUTION ON
COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM, RACISM, XENOPHOBIA AND
OTHER FORMS OF INTOLERANCE, INCLUDING AGAINST MUSLIMS AND ROMA

Recalling the Parliamentary Assemblys leadership in raising the focus and attention of the participating States since the 2002 Annual Session in Berlin on issues related to intolerance, discrimination, and hate crimes, including particular concern over manifestations of anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance,

Celebrating the richness of ethnic, cultural, racial, and religious diversity within the 56 OSCE participating States,

Emphasizing the need to ensure implementation of existing OSCE commitments on combating anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, and other forms of intolerance and discrimination, including against Christians, Muslims, and members of other religions, as well as against Roma,

Recalling other international commitments of the OSCE participating States, and urging immediate ratification and full implementation of the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity, and the Rome Statute,

Reminding participating States that hate crimes and discrimination are motivated not only by race, ethnicity, sex, and religion or belief, but also by political opinion, national or social origin, language, birth or other status,

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly:

Welcomes the convening of the June 2007 OSCE High Level Conference on Combating Discrimination and Promoting Mutual Respect and Understanding, in Bucharest, Romania as a follow-up to the 2005 Cordoba Conference on Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Intolerance;

Appreciates the ongoing work undertaken by the OSCE and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (the OSCE/ODIHR) through its Programme on Tolerance and Non-discrimination, as well as its efforts to improve the situation of Roma and Sinti through its Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues, and supports the continued organization of expert meetings on anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance aimed at enhancing the implementation of relevant OSCE commitments;

Recognizes the importance of the OSCE/ODIHR Law Enforcement Officers Programme (LEOP) in helping police forces within the participating States better to identify and combat hate crimes, and recommends that other participating States make use of it;

Reiterates its full support for the political-level work undertaken by the three Personal Representatives of the Chair-in-Office and endorses the continuance of their efforts under their existing and distinct mandates;

Reminds participating States of the Holocaust, its impact, and the continued acts of anti-Semitism occurring throughout the 56-nation OSCE region that are not unique to any one country and necessitate unwavering steadfastness by all participating States to erase the black mark on human history;

Calls upon participating States to recall that atrocities within the OSCE region motivated by race, national origin, sex, religion or belief, disability or sexual orientation have contributed to the negative perceptions and treatment of persons in the region;

Further recalls the resolutions on anti-Semitism adopted unanimously by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly at its Annual Sessions in Berlin in 2002, Rotterdam in 2003, Edinburgh in 2004, Washington

in 2005 and Brussels in 2006;

Reaffirms especially the 2002 Porto Ministerial Decision condemning anti-Semitic incidents in the OSCE area, recognizing the role that the existence of anti-Semitism has played throughout history as a major threat to freedom;

Recalls the agreement of the participating States, adopted in Cracow in 1991, to preserve and protect those monuments and sites of remembrance, including most notably extermination camps, and the related archives, which are themselves testimonials to tragic experiences in their common past;

Commends the 11 member states of the International Tracing Service for approving the immediate transfer of scanned Holocaust archives to receiving institutions and encourages all participating States to cooperate in opening, copying, and disseminating archival material from the Holocaust;

Commemorates the bicentennial of the 1807 Abolition of the Slave Trade Act which banned the slave trade in the British Empire, allowed for the search and seizure of ships suspected of transporting enslaved people, and provided compensation for the freedom of slaves;

Agrees that the transatlantic slave trade was a crime against humanity and urges participating states to develop educational tools, programmes, and activities to teach current and future generations about its significance

Acknowledges the horrible legacy that centuries of racism, slavery, colonialism discrimination, exploitation, violence, and extreme oppression have continued to have on the promulgation of stereotypes, prejudice, and hatred directed towards persons of African descent;

Reminds parliamentarians and participating States that Roma constitute the largest ethnic minority in the European Union and have suffered from slavery, genocide, mass expulsions and imprisonment, forced assimilations, and numerous other discriminatory practices in the OSCE region;

Reminds participating States of the role these histories and other events have played in the institutionalization of practices that limit members of minority groups from having equal access to and participation in state-sponsored institutions, resulting in gross disparities in health, wealth, education, housing, political participation, and access to legal redress through the courts:

Underscores the sentiments of earlier resolutions regarding the continuing threat that anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance pose to the underlying fundamental human rights and democratic values that serve as the underpinnings for security in the OSCE region;

Therefore urges participating States to increase efforts to work with their diverse communities to develop and implement practices to provide members of minority groups with equal access to and opportunities within social, political, legal, and economic spheres;

Notes the growing prevalence of anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, and other forms of intolerance being displayed within popular culture, including the Internet, computer games, and sports;

Deplores the growing prevalence of anti-Semitic materials and symbols of racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic organizations in some OSCE participating States;

Reminds participating States of the 2004 OSCE meeting on the Relationship between Racist, Xenophobic and Anti-Semitic Propaganda on the Internet and Hate Crimes and suggested measures to combat the dissemination of racist and anti-Semitic material via the Internet as well as in printed or otherwise mediatized form that could be utilized throughout the OSCE region;

Deplores the continuing intellectualization of anti-Semitism, racism and other forms of intolerance in academic spheres, particularly through publications and public events at universities;

Condemns the association of politicians and political parties with discriminatory platforms, and reaffirms that such actions violate human rights standards;

Notes the legislative efforts, public awareness campaigns, and other initiatives of some participating States to recognize the historical injustices of the transatlantic slave trade, study the enslavement of Roma, and commemorate the Holocaust;

Urges other states to take similar steps in recognizing the impact of past injustices on current day practices and beliefs as a means of providing a platform to address anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance;

Suggests guidelines on academic responsibility to ensure the protection of Jewish and other minority students from harassment, discrimination, and abuse in the academic environment;

Urges participating States to implement the commitments following the original 2003 Vienna Conferences on Anti-Semitism and on Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination and subsequent conferences, that include calls to:

provide the proper legal framework and authority to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance;

collect, analyse, publish, and promote hate crimes data;

protect religious facilities and communitarian institutions, including Jewish sites of worship;

promote national guidelines on educational work to promote tolerance and combat anti-Semitism, including Holocaust education;

train law enforcement officers and military personnel to interact with diverse communities and address hate crimes, including community policing efforts;

appoint ombudspersons or special commissioners with the necessary resources to adequately monitor and address anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance;

work with civil society to develop and implement tolerance initiatives;

Urges parliamentarians and the participating States to report their initiatives to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance and publicly recognize the benefits of diversity at the 2008 Annual Session;

Commends all parliamentary efforts on combating all forms of intolerance, especially the British All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism and its final report;

Emphasizes the key role of politicians and political parties in combating intolerance by raising awareness of the value of diversity as a source of mutual enrichment of societies, and calls attention to the importance of integration with respect for diversity as a key element in promoting mutual respect and understanding;

Calls upon OSCE PA delegates to encourage regular debates on the subjects of anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance in their national parliaments, following the example of the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism;

Calls upon journalists to develop a self-regulated code of ethics for addressing anti-Semitism, racism, discrimination against Muslims, and other forms of intolerance within the media;

Expresses its concern at all attempts to target Israeli institutions and individuals for boycotts, divestments and sanctions;

Urges implementation of the Resolution on Roma Education unanimously adopted at the OSCE PA 2002 Berlin Annual Session to eradicate practices that segregate Roma in schooling and provide equal access to education that includes intercultural education;

Calls upon parliamentarians and other elected officials to publicly speak out against discrimination, violence and other manifestations of intolerance against Roma, Sinti, Jews, and other ethnic or religious groups;
Urges the participating States to ensure the timely provision of resources and technical support and the establishment of an administrative support structure to assist the three Personal Representatives of the Chair-in-Office in their work to promote greater tolerance and combat racism, xenophobia and discrimination;

Encourages the three Personal Representatives of the Chair-in-Office to address the Assemblys Winter Meetings and Annual Sessions on their work to promote greater tolerance and combat racism, xenophobia, and discrimination throughout the OSCE region;

Recognizes the unique contribution that the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation could make to OSCE efforts to promote greater tolerance and combat anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia and discrimination, including by supporting the ongoing work of the three Personal Representatives of the Chair-in-Office;

Reminds participating States that respect for freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief should assist in combating all forms of intolerance with the

ultimate goal of building positive relationships among all people, furthering social justice, and attaining world peace;

Reminds participating States that, historically, violations of freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief have, through direct or indirect means, led to war, human suffering, and divisions between and among nations and peoples;

Condemns the rising violence in the OSCE region against persons believed to be Muslim and welcomes the conference to be held in Cordoba in October 2007 on combating discrimination against Muslims;

Calls upon parliamentarians and the participating States to ensure and facilitate the freedom of the individual to profess and practice any religion or belief, alone or in community with others, through transparent and non-discriminatory laws, regulations, practices and policies, and to remove any registration or recognition policies that discriminate against any religious community and hinder its ability to operate freely and equally with other faiths;

Encourages an increased focus by participating States on the greater role teenagers and young adults can play in combating anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance and urges participating States to collect data and report on hate crimes committed by persons under the age of 24 and to promote tolerance initiatives through education, workforce training, youth organizations, sports clubs, and other organized activities;
Reminds participating States that this year marks the 59th Anniversary of the United Nations Human Rights Commissions adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which has served as the inspiration for numerous international treaties and declarations on tolerance issues;

Calls upon participating States to reaffirm and implement the sentiments expressed in the 2000 Bucharest Declaration and in this resolution as a testament to their commitment to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, as enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act.

Expresses deep concern at the glorification of the Nazi movement, including the erection of monuments and memorials and the holding of public demonstrations glorifying the Nazi past, the Nazi movement and neo-Nazism;

Also stresses that such practices fuel contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and contribute to the spread and multiplication of various extremist political parties, movements and groups, including neo-Nazis and skinhead groups;

Emphasizes the need to take the necessary measures to put an end to the practices described above, and calls upon participating States to take more effective measures to combat these phenomena and the extremist movements, which pose a real threat to democratic values.

OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
International Secretariat
Rådhusstræde 1
1466 Copenhagen K
Denmark
Telephone: +45 33 37 80 40
Telefax: +45 33 37 80 30
E-mail: osce@oscepa.dk
Internet: www.oscepa.org

Elanders, Vällingby 2008