Newsroom
OSCE activities in Belarus are within its agreed mandate
MINSK 15 December 2000
MINSK, 15 December 2000 - The OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in Belarus (AMG) takes strong issue with recent public statements by the Chief of the Belarusian Committee of State Security. According to press reports, the chief accused the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group of taking actions beyond its mandate and "boosting anti-president orientated political structures on the eve of the presidential elections."
The OSCE AMG emphatically states that it is working well within its mandate and is following the 1997 Memorandum of Understanding between the OSCE and the Government of Belarus.
"Since 1997, the AMG has been mandated to assist the Belarusian authorities in promoting democratic institutions and in complying with other OSCE commitments," said Ambassador Hans-Georg Wieck, head of the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group. "We are also mandated to monitor activities in these areas and report to the OSCE Permanent Council."
"Our activities in Belarus are aimed solely at supporting the development of democratic institutions," Ambassador Wieck said. "This includes the advice given to the government and its institutions on free and fair elections, and also dialogue with political parties of the opposition, as well as the rendering of advice to political parties and to non-governmental organizations."
He explained that the group also provides support for conferences and programs, such as the training of election observers and the facilitation of the implementation of such activities by non-governmental organizations. This has been done for both the local elections in April 1999 and the parliamentary elections in October 2000. These activities also have been endorsed by the OSCE Chairpersons-in-Office and the OSCE Permanent Council on numerous occasions.
Ambassador Wieck noted that Heads of State and Government of 54 OSCE participating States issued a joint declaration at the Istanbul Summit in 1999, in which they expressed strong support for the work of the OSCE AMG. The declaration stated that the group "has worked closely with the Belarusian authorities as well as with opposition parties and leaders of NGOs in promoting democratic institutions and compliance with OSCE commitments, thus facilitating a resolution of the constitutional controversy in Belarus."
The Summit Declaration also highlights the importance of a real political dialogue in Belarus, "through which the foundations for real democracy can be developed and expresses, among others, the hope for early progress in the political dialogue with the OSCE participation - in close co-operation with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly."
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko participated fully in the OSCE Istanbul Summit, thereby clearly endorsing the active role of the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in support of the development of democratic institutions.
For further information, contact Andrew Carpenter, political counsellor, OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in Belarus, tel.: 375- 17 272 34 97; fax: +375 17 272 34 98, e-mail: [email protected] ; or the Press and Public Information Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: + 431- 514 36 180, e-mail: [email protected]
The OSCE AMG emphatically states that it is working well within its mandate and is following the 1997 Memorandum of Understanding between the OSCE and the Government of Belarus.
"Since 1997, the AMG has been mandated to assist the Belarusian authorities in promoting democratic institutions and in complying with other OSCE commitments," said Ambassador Hans-Georg Wieck, head of the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group. "We are also mandated to monitor activities in these areas and report to the OSCE Permanent Council."
"Our activities in Belarus are aimed solely at supporting the development of democratic institutions," Ambassador Wieck said. "This includes the advice given to the government and its institutions on free and fair elections, and also dialogue with political parties of the opposition, as well as the rendering of advice to political parties and to non-governmental organizations."
He explained that the group also provides support for conferences and programs, such as the training of election observers and the facilitation of the implementation of such activities by non-governmental organizations. This has been done for both the local elections in April 1999 and the parliamentary elections in October 2000. These activities also have been endorsed by the OSCE Chairpersons-in-Office and the OSCE Permanent Council on numerous occasions.
Ambassador Wieck noted that Heads of State and Government of 54 OSCE participating States issued a joint declaration at the Istanbul Summit in 1999, in which they expressed strong support for the work of the OSCE AMG. The declaration stated that the group "has worked closely with the Belarusian authorities as well as with opposition parties and leaders of NGOs in promoting democratic institutions and compliance with OSCE commitments, thus facilitating a resolution of the constitutional controversy in Belarus."
The Summit Declaration also highlights the importance of a real political dialogue in Belarus, "through which the foundations for real democracy can be developed and expresses, among others, the hope for early progress in the political dialogue with the OSCE participation - in close co-operation with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly."
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko participated fully in the OSCE Istanbul Summit, thereby clearly endorsing the active role of the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in support of the development of democratic institutions.
For further information, contact Andrew Carpenter, political counsellor, OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in Belarus, tel.: 375- 17 272 34 97; fax: +375 17 272 34 98, e-mail: [email protected] ; or the Press and Public Information Section of the OSCE Secretariat, tel.: + 431- 514 36 180, e-mail: [email protected]