In Washington, OSCE PA Secretary General and U.S. lawmakers discuss Assembly priorities

WASHINGTON, 16 March 2016 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Roberto Montella met with high-ranking members of the U.S. Delegation to the PA in Washington this week for discussions on the Assembly’s current and future work and a range of pressing OSCE issues.

The Secretary General met with the Head of the U.S. Delegation and PA Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues, Christopher Smith; Deputy Head of Delegation and Chair of the PA Committee on Political Affairs and Security Roger Wicker; PA Vice-President Robert Aderholt; PA Special Representative on Anti-Semitism, Racism and Intolerance Benjamin Cardin; and former PA President Alcee Hastings.

Montella was joined by Deputy Secretary General Gustavo Pallares.

Topics of discussion included the Assembly’s recent work on the crisis of migrants and refugees in the OSCE area, the situation in and around Ukraine, and developments in Azerbaijan and South East Europe.

The sides also discussed the Assembly’s 2016 Annual Session in Tbilisi, Georgia and the upcoming general elections in the United States, which the PA plans to observe.

Secretary General Montella underscored the value of active U.S. engagement in the Assembly and thanked the Delegation members for their leadership. He highlighted his intention to enhance co-operation between the PA and other OSCE bodies, including the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

While in Washington, Montella and Pallares also met with the staff of the U.S. Helsinki Commission; officials from the U.S. Department of State and Department of Defense; policy experts from Johns Hopkins University; and William Sweeney, President of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.