OSCE Chairperson-in-Office welcomes signing of Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of Azerbaijan

VIENNA, 20 June 2000 - The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, welcomes the signing yesterday of a Memorandum of Understanding between the OSCE and the Republic of Azerbaijan concerning the activites of the OSCE Office in Baku. A technical assessment team from the OSCE Secretariat has today arrived in Baku in order to establish an OSCE Office in the Azeri capital. The Office is expected to be formally opened in July. It will consist of six international personnel who will be seconded for their positions by OSCE participating States.

The decision to establish an OSCE Office in Baku was taken by the OSCE Permanent Council on 16 November 1999. The principal task of the Office is to promote the implementation of OSCE principles and commitments as well as the co-operation between the OSCE and the Republic of Azerbaijan in all the OSCE dimensions, including human, political, economic and environmental aspects of security and stability. The mandate of the Office will be valid for twelve months and renewed for one year at a time upon mutual agreement between the OSCE and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Chairperson-in-Office also welcomes the recent approval by the Azeri Parliament of amendments to the Law on Central Election Commission. In this context, Minister Ferrero-Waldner points out that the new Law gives the main political players a comprehensive role in the Central Election Commission. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has offered to monitor closely the work of the Commission. ODIHR also stands ready to provide assistance and facilitation as necessary in the run-up to parliamentary elections in November, in particular with improvements to the new Law on Parliamentary Elections to ensure its compliance with international standards.

For further information contact the Press and Public Information Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: (+ 43-1) 514 36 180 or e-mail: info@osce.org