In Moscow, Kanerva and Oliver discuss building trust in OSCE area

COPENHAGEN, 20 November 2013 – OSCE PA Vice-President Ilkka Kanerva and Secretary General Spencer Oliver paid a working visit to Moscow last week, accompanied by Senior Counselor Semyon Dzakhaev and Programme Officer Maria Chepurina.

Following an invitation from the Russian State Duma, the PA delegation attended the Second International Parliamentary Forum on 14 November in Moscow, under the theme of "Constitution. Democracy. Parliamentarism." Mr. Kanerva and Mr. Oliver spoke at panel discussions during the Forum, sharing views and experiences on parliamentary diplomacy, democratic values and the role of public opinion.

The PA delegation met with Igor Ivanov, the President of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, to discuss increasing trust in the OSCE area as well as promoting co-operation with RIAC and the OSCE PA in preparations for the 40th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act.

On the margins of the Forum, Mr. Kanerva and Mr. Oliver met with the Chairman of the State Duma, Sergey Naryshkin, discussing interaction between the Federal Assembly and the OSCE PA. Mr. Oliver also met with Ivan Soltanovsky, Director of the Department for All-European Co-operation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

This is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 323 parliamentarians from 57 countries spanning, Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international cooperation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.