Finnish MP Kokkonen to lead election observers in Azerbaijan

COPENHAGEN, 31 October 2000 - Ms. Paula Kokkonen MP (Finland) will arrive in Baku this week to lead the OSCE observers for the Parliamentary Elections in Azerbaijan on Sunday 5 November 2000. Ms. Kokkonen was appointed by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austrian Foreign Minister Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, as her Special Representative to lead the international observers deployed by the OSCE throughout the country and to deliver the preliminary assessment in conjunction with other appropriate officials on Monday 6 November. Ms. Kokkonen, Member of the Delegation of Finland to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, is the Chair the Constitutional Committee of the Finnish Parliament.

The OSCE observer team also includes 23 representatives of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from OSCE countries including Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

The OSCE Election Observation Mission is a joint effort between the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and includes long- and short-term observers from OSCE participating States. The OSCE Observation Mission will assess the conduct of the elections, the political campaign and the role of the media. Long-term observers have already been deployed for several weeks across the country. This week the short-term observers will be deployed in Azerbaijan by the OSCE Election Observation Mission.

For further information please contact:In Copenhagen: Mr. Jan Jooren, Press Counsellor of the OSCE PA,e-mail press.counsellor@oscepa.dk, tel. +45 33 37 80 36,fax. +45 33 37 80 30In Baku: OSCE Office, tel. + 994 12 90 80 47, fax. + 996 12 90 80 48