MOSCOW, 2 December 2011 - The international observers monitoring the State Duma elections in the Russian Federation will present their preliminary post-election statement at a news conference on Monday, 5 December, in Moscow.

The international observation is a common endeavour involving the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

The statement will be delivered by Petros Efthymiou, the Special Co-ordinator to lead the short-term OSCE observer mission and Head of the OSCE PA delegation, followed by Tiny Kox, the Head of the PACE delegation, and Ambassador Heidi Tagliavini, the Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission.

This common endeavour comprises over 330 observers from 39 countries, including over 40 long-term observers and experts from the OSCE/ODIHR, some 160 short-term observers seconded by participating States upon request by the OSCE/ODIHR, as well as 90 parliamentarians and staff from the OSCE PA, and 34 from PACE.

Journalists are invited to attend the news conference on Monday, 5 December, at 14:00 in the Marriott Grand Hotel, 26/1 Tverskaya Street, Moscow.

For further information contact:

Neil Simon, OSCE PA, +79104303330 or +4560108380, neil@oscepa.dk
Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher, OSCE/ODIHR, +79859134614 or +48 603 683 122, jens.eschenbaecher@odihr.pl
Angus Macdonald, PACE, +79150765726 or +33630496820, angus.macdonald@coe.int