Sergei Lavrov: OSCE should work out unified, understandable guidelines for ODIHR

The OSCE should work out unified and understandable guidelines for the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The statement was made by Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Martynov and Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Lavrov in Minsk on January 30 after a joint session of the boards of the two ministries. “We would like to see unified and understandable guidelines for ODIHR developed,” stressed Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov. He remarked, both Russia and Belarus have been submitting corresponding proposals to OSCE bodies, however, they have been blocked so far, including blocked by the countries of Europe that refuse to meet certain obligations concerning the invitation of international observers. “I hope new leadership of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and new OSCE chairmanship will pay proper attention to dealing with this unhealthy phenomenon this year,” said Sergei Lavrov. The Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke against using dual standards. In his words, nowadays some so-called “mature democracy” countries refuse to introduce their OSCE obligations into national laws. Some of the countries ban observers from accessing polling stations. “Views of Belarus and Russia on the OSCE ODIHR’s activities unfailingly coincide,” noted Sergei Martynov. “It is abnormal that ODIHR uses totally different approaches, opinions and makes completely different conclusions after observing elections in different European countries,” he added.