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Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2012

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

Questions (115, 118, 119)

Eric J. Byrne

Question:

115. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of the recognised ongoing conflict in the OSCE that is suffering from infighting between the OSCE PA and OSCE/ODIHR, if he agrees with this assessment and what has he done to consolidate this most important democratic international body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56625/12]

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Eric J. Byrne

Question:

118. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will respond, in his role as Chairman in Office of the OSCE, to comments in a publication (details supplied) made by the secretary general of the OSCE PA, who has stated that because of the ongoing conflict in this organisation two conflicting reports of the recent American Election were released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56821/12]

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Eric J. Byrne

Question:

119. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will respond, in his role, as chairman in office of the OSCE, to the suggestion made by the secretary general of the OSCE PA, that their is a situation of conflict between the OSCE PA and the OSCE/ODIHR and that it is a mess; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56822/12]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 118 and 119 together.

As I have previously indicated to the House, election observation has been a key component of the work of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) since 1990, when the Office for Free Elections was established by the Paris Summit of the CSCE – the OSCE’s predecessor.

The Office for Free Elections was renamed the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in 1992 and ODIHR’s role in comprehensive election monitoring has been enhanced by OSCE participating States over time. The objectives of ODIHR's election observation activities are twofold: (i) to assess electoral processes in accordance with OSCE election-related commitments; and (ii) to offer recommendations and assistance, where necessary, to bring electoral processes into line with those commitments.

Since 1993, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) has also observed elections in OSCE participating States, applying the particular expertise of parliamentarians to the task of election observation and enhancing the visibility of the OSCE’s election observation efforts.

A Cooperation Agreement on election activities was concluded between ODIHR and the OSCE PA in 1997, reflecting a desire to avoid overlap, redundancy, unnecessary expense and confusion between the two OSCE institutions. The 1997 Cooperation Agreement provides inter alia for the exchange of information, participation by the Parliamentary Assembly in Needs Assessment Missions, common briefings and de-briefings and logistical support to Parliamentary Assembly short-term observers.

In 2006, at the Brussels OSCE Ministerial Council, participating States adopted Decision Number 19/06, which inter alia stressed that election observation is a common endeavour involving ODIHR, the OSCE PA and other parliamentary institutions, and called on ODIHR to continue to work in partnership with the OSCE PA on election observation missions on the basis of the 1997 Cooperation Agreement.

Regrettably, despite the existence of the 1997 Cooperation Agreement, relations between ODIHR and the OSCE PA have not always been smooth. The Chairmanship-in-Office has only a very limited role in the field of election observation, essentially limited to the appointment of a Special Coordinator to lead short-term election observation missions. However, I can assure the Deputy that the Irish Chairmanship has sought at all times to apply the spirit and letter of the 1997 Cooperation Agreement, in the best interests of the Organisation as a whole.

In the specific case of the recent US elections, it is deeply regrettable that two separate and partially conflicting reports were released, one by the Limited Election Observation Mission deployed by ODIHR, and another by the short-term observer mission deployed by the OSCE PA. Despite a written appeal by the Irish Chairmanship for both sides to coordinate - as they are committed to doing under the 1997 Cooperation Agreement - separate press conferences were also arranged in the days following the election.

On 6 December last, during the opening session of the 19th OSCE Ministerial Council in Dublin, the President of the OSCE PA, Mr. Riccardo Migliori, outlined his organisation’s view that ODIHR was not adhering strictly to the 1997 Cooperation Agreement and announced that the OSCE PA regarded the Cooperation Agreement as “no longer valid and […] no longer operative”. As Chairman-in-Office, I immediately expressed my regret that the OSCE PA was effectively terminating the Cooperation Agreement. I recalled Ministerial Council decision 19/06 and reaffirmed the Irish Chairmanship’s support for ODIHR’s election observation activities, based on the key principles of independence, impartiality and professionalism, as endorsed by participating States.

ODIHR will continue to deploy election observation missions, as mandated by OSCE participating States, and it is my understanding that the OSCE PA will also continue its election observation programme independently from ODIHR. I have been assured that ODIHR remains committed to conducting election observation as a common endeavour, in partnership with the OSCE PA and all other parliamentary institutions, in accordance with Ministerial Council decision 19/06. I hope that the OSCE PA will reconsider its position, in the best interests of the OSCE.

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