SC (05/2) 16 E Original: ENGLISH SUPPLEMENTARY ITEM DRAFT RESOLUTION ON IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OSCE ELECTION OBSERVATION ACTIVITIES PRINCIPAL SPONSOR Lubov SLISKA Russian Federation WASHINGTON D.C., 1 TO 5 JULY 2005

SUPPLEMENTARY ITEM On IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OSCE ELECTION OBSERVATION ACTIVITIES By Ms.Lubov SLISKA   (Russian Federation) Deputy Head of the Russian Delegation The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly 1. Reaffirming  the  provisions  of  the  Document  of  the  Copenhagen  Meeting  of  the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE (1990), including commitments by Participating States for the conduct of democratic elections, 2. Noting  that  relevant  provisions  of  the  Lisbon  Summit  Declaration  (1996)  and  the Istanbul Summit Declaration (1999) have supplemented those commitments, 3. Reaffirming the determination to implement these commitments, 4. Acknowledging   the   importance   of   the   OSCE   Parliamentary   Assembly   election monitoring, 5. Recognizing   the   OSCE   Parliamentary   Assembly   and   the   ODIHR’s   expertise   in assisting  Participating  States  in  the  implementation  of  election-related  commitments and standards, 6. Welcoming the continuing efficient co-operation between the ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in election monitoring, 7. Recalling  Decision No. 7  adopted  at  the  Tenth  Meeting  of  the  OSCE  Ministerial Council in Porto in 2002 and Decision No. 5/03 approved by the Eleventh Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Maastricht  in 2003, 8. Noting   that   democratic   elections   can   be   conducted   under   a   variety   of   different electoral systems and laws, 9. Recognizing  the  need  for  confidence  by  the  electorate  towards  the  entire  election process, for transparency of election procedures, and for accountability on the part of authorities conducting elections, 10. Welcoming the document “International Standards and Commitments on the Right to Democratic Elections: A Practical Guide to Democratic Elections Best Practices”, the document  “Existing  Commitments  for  Democratic  Elections  in  OSCE  Participating States: A Progress Report”, and the discussion paper “Election Principles and Existing OSCE Commitments for Democratic Elections” prepared by the ODIHR,

11. Taking   into   account   the   recommendations   made   at   the   Supplementary   Human Dimension  Meeting  on  Electoral  Standards  and  Commitments  (Vienna  15-16  July 2004) and the recommendations of the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting on Challenges of Election Technologies and Procedures (Vienna 21-22 April 2005). 12. Taking into account the initiative of the Participating States to conduct comprehensive analysis of electoral practice of different states, with regard to implementation of the existing  OSCE election related commitments and other international standards, 13. Recognizing  the  importance  of  the  improving  of  the  OSCE  activities  in  election monitoring , 14. Pointing out  that OSCE election-observation missions conclusions as for election processes in the Participating States should be based on an objective, unbiased assessment taking into consideration concrete and explicit principles and methodology, 15. Recognizing   the   need   for   thorough   consideration   of   OSCE   election-observation missions methodology, taking into account in particular the guiding UN principles in the   sphere   as   well   as   the   experience   of   other   international   organizations   and institutions, conducting electoral monitoring in the OSCE Participating States, The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly 16. Urges   the   OSCE   Participating   States   to   fully   implement   the   provisions   of   the Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE (1990), including the commitments for the conduct of democratic elections, 17. Suggests  the  OSCE  Participating  States  to  undertake  efforts  in  order  to  elaborate additional election related commitments supplementing and enriching existing ones, 18. Calls upon the Participating States to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the existing OSCE election related commitments and electoral practice of the Participating States paying special attention to implementation of the existing  OSCE election related commitments and other international standards, 19. Recommends the ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in close cooperation with other international organizations and institutions, conducting electoral monitoring in  the  OSCE  Participating  States,  consider  ways  to  improve  the  effectiveness  of  its assistance to participating States upon their request, 20. Recommends the ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in close cooperation with other international organizations and institutions, conducting electoral monitoring in   the   OSCE   Participating   States,   to   review   the   methodology   of   the   election observation,  on  the  basis    of  the  principles  of  unbiased  assessment,  being  the  OSCE only intermediary in the electoral processes in the  Participating States, 21. Calls   upon   the   OSCE   Participating   States,   the   CiO,   the   OSCE   Parliamentary Assembly  and  the  ODIHR  to  improve  the  OSCE  election  observation  mission’s

staffing,   aiming   at   achieving   more   geographical   and   gender   balance,   ensuring transparency    in    appointment    of    Heads    of    the    election    observation    missions, considering  inter  alia    the  best  practices  of  other  international  organizations  and institutions conducting electoral monitoring,    22. Recommends the OSCE Participating States and the  CiO to establish a corresponding Working Group to address all issues related to improving OSCE election monitoring activities.

AMENDMENT TO SUPPLEMENTARY ITEM ON IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OSCE ELECTION OBSERVATION ACTIVITIES [Set out text of Amendment here:] Principal Sponsor: Mr/Mrs Family Name in Capital Letters Country Signature Co-sponsored by: Mr/Mrs Family Name in Capital Letters Country Signature