OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Standing Committee meets in Vienna

VIENNA, 21 February 2002 - The Standing Committee of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) met in Vienna prior to the first Winter Meeting of the Assembly.

Standing Committee delegates were addressed by the Speaker of the Austrian Parliament, Dr. Heinz Fischer as well as by OSCE PA President Adrian Severin,, who reported on the Assembly's activities since the last Standing Committee Meeting in Portugal, October 2001. OSCE PA Treasurer Senator Jerry Grafstein (Canada) told Delegates that he was pleased to report that the International Secretariat was run extremely efficiently and within the allocated annual budget during the last fiscal year. The external KPMG auditors used by the Assembly had found the OSCE PA finances to be in good order.

OSCE PA Secretary General Spencer Oliver reported on the preparations for the next Annual Session to be held in Berlin next July, as well as on the ongoing efforts to establish a Vienna sub-office of the International Secretariat to strengthen communication between the Parliamentary and Governmental dimensions of the OSCE. Mr. Oliver's report gave an overview of the main activities of the Assembly since the 10th Annual Session in Paris, including the particular work of officials of the International Secretariat.

The Standing Committee heard presentations by the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Transparency and Accountability, Congressman Steny Hoyer (United States) and the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Belarus, Mrs. Uta Zapf, MP (Germany). Mr. Hoyer outlined the work already carried out by the Committee during recent meetings in Bucharest and Washington as well as the upcoming retreat in Salzburg with selected representatives from the OSCE Permanent Council. Mr. Hoyer emphasized the importance of recommendations of the Assembly being properly considered by OSCE Governmental representatives. Mrs. Zapf reported on the recent visit to Minsk by the Ad Hoc Committee on Belarus and on the current situation and developments in the country.

Vice-President Bruce George offered, on behalf of the United Kingdom Delegation, to host the Annual Session in 2004. The Committee decided to accept the United Kingdom's offer.

The Standing Committee approved three changes to the Rules of Procedure. One to provide a procedure for compromise supplementary items, in cases when more than one supplementary item is presented on the same issue. The other two amendments clarify procedures with regard to tabling amendments.