OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President addresses the OSCE Permanent Council

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Petros Efthymiou addressed the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on 3 November 2011.

Efthymiou called for closer co-operation between the Parliamentary Assembly’s and Permanent Council’s three committees covering politico-military security, economic and environmental co-operation, and humanitarian concerns. He also relayed decisions voted upon by the Assembly recommending greater transparency at the Permanent Council.

“Amid challenges to human rights and democracy throughout our region, we are convinced that our recommendations will facilitate the OSCE to seize the opportunity both to change itself and bring change in its area,” Efthymiou said, referring to the Parliamentary Assembly’s Belgrade Declaration, approved in July.

The Permanent Council is a key decision-making body of the 56-country OSCE. It meets weekly in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area and to make appropriate decisions.

Link to press release: //www.osce.org/pa/84735