Special Representative

To:PA PresidentandPA Secretary GeneralJuly 26, 2013PC Brief Week 30, 2013This week, meetings of the PC, the FSC, the informal ambassadorial working group onHeldinki+40 and subsidiary bodies took place, as well as an OSCE Conference on Prevention ofIllicit Drug Trade on the Internet. Roberto Montella accompanied PA SG Spencer Oliver to ameeting with President Krivokapic in Podgorica, Montenegro.In these two last meetings before the Summer Recess, the PC adopted decisions on theTheme, Agenda and Modalities for the Twenty-Second Economic and Environmental Forum“Responding to environmental challenges with a view to promoting cooperation and security inthe OSCE area”, on the agenda of the 2013 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting(HDIM), on the extension of the mandate of the Office in Yerevan, on the OSCE Project Coor-dinator in Baku, as well as on the Financial Report and Financial Statements for the Year ended31 December 2012 and the Report of the External Auditor.Several delegations welcomed that the PC had been able to find (hard-fought) compromises onthese issues. The HDIM will start – as an exception, as the U.S. underlined – with a presenta-tion of the new High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM). This exceptional change tothe established practice of beginning the HDIM with freedom of expression and other fundamen-tal freedoms has been justified by the fact that this year the HCNM celebrates its 20th anniver-sary and that it will be the new Commissioner’s first appearance. Several delegations againurged to adopt a standing agenda for future meetings. As for downgrading of the office in Bakuto a Project Coordinator, which will take place as of January 1, 2014, the mandate still includesall the three dimensions and contacts with Civil Society.I made a contribution to the main topic of this week’s PC, which was the progress report on theHelsinki+40 discussion, wrapping up the main PA recommendations. Earlier in the week, theambassadorial working group had continued the discussions that had been held to during theretreat that took place the preceding week. Reacting to a media report that had been circulatedin Vienna I also clarified the PA’s reasons for not observing the Azerbaijani presidential elec-tions, which, according to the law, are expected to be scheduled in parallel to the PA AutumnMeeting.The PC also bode farewell to seven ambassadors, bringing the total of ambassadors that will be(relatively) new after the Recess to 19. Since many diplomats below the level of ambassadorwill also be replaced, the PC will look differently after the break.The Summer Recess will start on Monday July 29. The first PC meeting after the Recess willtake place on September 5, 2013.Andreas NothelleAmbassador1 of 1