Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 June 2013
120. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress the state of Mongolia has made as the newest member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, which entered the organisation during Ireland's Chairperson-in-office at the 57th Ministerial Council in Dublin, December 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27542/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMongolia, one of the OSCE’s Asian Partners for Co-operation since 2004, became the 57th OSCE participating State on 21 November 2012, pursuant to Ministerial Council Decision No. 2/12. I was pleased to welcome the Foreign Minister of Mongolia, Mr. Bold Luvsanvandan, to the Dublin OSCE Ministerial on 6 December. In recent weeks, Ireland’s Ambassador to the OSCE, Eoin O’Leary, took part in a rapporteurs’ mission to Mongolia to consult with the authorities there on any assistance they might require to meet the requirements of participating State status. On foot of the report of this mission, the exact nature of the OSCE’s engagement with Mongolia, including the issue of whether there should be a field presence in Mongolia, will be considered. Mongolia is holding Presidential elections on 26 June. Following an invitation from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, a sizeable OSCE election observation mission will be deployed there.
