Anne-Marie Lizin appointed Special Co-ordinator for Belarus elections

COPENHAGEN, 10 September 2008 - Anne-Marie Lizin (Belgium), a Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, has been appointed Special Co-ordinator to lead the OSCE short-term observers in the observation mission to the parliamentary elections in Belarus on 28 September.

As Special Co-ordinator, appointed by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finland's Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, Lizin will deliver the preliminary post-election statement at a press conference in Minsk on the day after the elections. Lizin also heads the observation delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

More than 60 OSCE parliamentarians are expected to observe the Belarus elections.

Lizin is an experienced election observer. In February, she served as Special Co-ordinator for all OSCE short-term observers at the presidential election in Armenia. She is also the OSCE PA Special Representative on Guantanamo and has paid three visits to the US detention facility, strongly arguing for its closure.