DUSHANBE, May 3, Asia-Plus – Visiting President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), Mr. Göran Lennmarker, today met with the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) Chairman Saydullo Khairulloyev.
Khairulloyev briefed Göran Lennmarker, who is also a member of the Swedish Parliament and chairman of its Committee for Foreign Affairs, on activity of Tajik parliament and noted that Tajik MPs attach significance to cooperation with the OSCE Center in Dushanbe.
Tajik speaker noted that part of the OSCE recommendations on further improvement of election system in Tajikistan had been included into Tajikistan’s Law “On Election to the Majlisi Oli” of 2004 and the other part will be studied and recommended as far as possible to the next similar law that will regulate the next parliamentary elections due in February 2010.
On the present situation in the region, Khairulloyev, expressed concern about the situation on the Tajik-Uzbek border, where Uzbek authorities had unilaterally laid landmines. As a result of this action, which was reportedly to stave off incursions by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), many Tajik citizens have been killed or seriously injured, according to the speaker. He suggested that this issue should be considered at the next session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
For his part, Mr. Lennmarker noted that the nearest session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will be held in Kiev, Ukraine, in the autumn this year and two others will be held next year in Vienna (February) and Astana (summer). He expressed hope that delegations of all five central Asia’s states will take part the upcoming sessions.
Lennmarker noted that the OSCE PA could provide assistance in expansion of inter-parliamentary cooperation in Central Asia.
Today, Lennmarker also held talks with Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi.
This trip by Mr. Lennmarker is part of an official OSCE PA tour of countries in Central Asia. The OSCE PA President already visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE is the parliamentary dimension of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, whose 56 participating States span the geographical area from Vancouver to Vladivostok. The primary task of the 320 member Assembly is to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue, an important aspect of the overall effort to meet the challenges of democracy throughout the OSCE area.
