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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #9321 3230042
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O 190037Z NOV 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 5647

UNCLAS STATE 119321 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL OSCE
SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO THE PRESIDENT 
OF THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY, JOAO SOARES 
 
¶1. (U) Post is authorized to present the following statement 
at the November 19 Permanent Council meeting in Vienna. 
 
Begin text: 
 
Thank you, Madam Chair. 
 
The United States warmly welcomes President Soares back to 
the Permanent Council and thanks him for his insightful 
report. 
 
The Parliamentary Assembly continues to fulfill important 
roles in connecting the work we do here in Vienna with our 
respective countries' elected representatives, promoting 
accountability within OSCE's institutions, and addressing 
crucial concerns affecting the participating States through 
parliamentary dialogue. 
 
We note the positive work being done by the Parliamentary 
Assembly across the region: to address protracted conflicts; 
to promote democratic governance, including election 
assistance to participating States; and to respond to new 
challenges in connection with migration, energy security and 
climate change. 
 
We are proud of that two of the PA's officers and two of its 
special representatives come from the United States.  The PA 
has been a leader on important initiatives such as combating 
trafficking in human beings and in promoting cooperation on 
security concerns with the Mediterranean Partners.  The 
Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, Senator Ben Cardin, is a 
Vice President of the PA. His Co-Chairman, U.S. 
Representative Alcee Hastings, is a former President of the 
Parliamentary Assembly and its current, very engaged, Special 
Representative on Mediterranean Affairs.  And Representative 
Robert Aderholt serves as the Vice Chair of the Third 
Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian 
Questions. 
 
The PA's ongoing work in the Caucasus, South-Eastern Europe, 
Central Asia and Eastern Europe is aimed at furthering 
security, human rights, and democratic governance. 
 
Through its meetings, seminars, and special missions, the PA 
contributes to efforts to address critical concerns in the 
region by developing proposals relevant for consideration by 
the Ministerial Council.  We urge the Permanent Council to 
consider adopting some of the specific commitments agreed 
upon during last July's Annual Meeting in Vilnius. 
 
We also would like to underscore the importance of 
cooperation between the Parliamentary Assembly and the Office 
of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in election 
observation activities.  The participating States have given 
the two institutions mandates to undertake election 
observation together, though with somewhat different roles 
that we view as mutually reinforcing and complementary, and 
not in competition.  We are pleased to note the improvement 
in cooperation during this past year, which helps ensure that 
OSCE's election work will continue to set the gold standard 
of election support in the world.  The United States attaches 
great value to OSCE's election monitoring, which in our view 
is most effective when the PA and ODIHR work together. 
 
We thank the Chair in Office for the tireless efforts to 
further this cooperation and build a true spirit of 
partnership between the two institutions, which we know is 
also supported by the U.S. Helsinki Commission. 
 
Finally, we note President Soares's interest in an OSCE 
Summit next year.  We would also note that the last time we 
had a summit in 1999, we had agreements on CFE, a Charter on 
European Security, and the Vienna Document.  We look forward 
to working hard with all those in support of a summit to make 
enough progress in all three dimensions so that we have 
reason to consider a high-level meeting. 
 
President Soares, we commend you and the Parliamentary 
Assembly for your contributions to advancing security, human 
rights, and democratic governance throughout the region. 
 
Thank you Madam Chair. 
 
END TEXT 
CLINTON