Special representative appointed to lead OSCE elections observers in Georgia

OSLO, 15 October 1999 - The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Foreign Minister of Norway Knut Vollebaek, has designated Mr. Bruce George as his Special Representative to lead the OSCE Short-Term Observation Mission to the Parliamentary Elections in Georgia on 31 October 1999.

Mr. George is Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Chairman of the Defence Committee in the British House of Commons.

The Special Representative will lead the Short-Term Election Observation Mission in close co-operation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. The observers generally come from various OSCE participating States, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and other parliamentary bodies.

The Special Representative will, in conjunction with other appropriate officials, deliver a preliminary statement shortly after the elections. It will be followed by a more comprehensive final report containing concrete recommendations a few weeks later.

Election Observation Missions are organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and closely co-operate with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as well as other observation bodies.