OSCE Chairman saddened by death of Russian member of Panel of Eminent Persons

LJUBLJANA, 23 June 2005 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, expressed sadness on Thursday at the death of Ambassador Nikolay Afanasievsky, a Russian member of the OSCE Panel of Eminent Persons appointed by the Organization to review its effectiveness and make recommendations on its future.

"I had hoped that Ambassador Afanasievsky would be able to further participate in the work of the OSCE despite his illness", the OSCE Chairman said in a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, offering his condolences to the Russian government and the Ambassador's family.

"His vast expertise and wisdom about the Organization were invaluable to all the participating States. I remember him as a dedicated advocate of the Helsinki process, who was committed to the OSCE throughout his professional career," the Chairman-in- Office added.

Ambassador Afanasievsky made a valuable contribution to the work of the Panel of Eminent Persons, whose report on OSCE reform will be published next week.