Belarus to attend OSCE PA session in Belgrade

MINSK, 5 July (BelTA) – Belarus’ parliamentary delegation is set to take part in the 20th annual session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA) in Belgrade, Serbia, on 6-10 July, BelTA learnt from the press service of the House of Representatives. The session will be held under the theme “Strengthening the OSCE Effectiveness and Efficiency – A New Start after the Astana Summit. Parliamentarians are expected to consider three resolutions of the OSCE PA joint committees and 26 additional resolutions on the reform of the Organization and its bodies, combating trafficking in persons, illegal trade in body parts, transnational organized crime as well as food and cyber security, extremism counteraction. Besides, parliamentarians will also look into 159 amendments to resolutions. The session will also discuss Belarus’ draft resolution, Implementation of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons. The document received support of 37 MPs from 14 countries before being included into the agenda. The resolution calls on states to strengthen cooperation within the UN action plan and its respective conventions, to highlight the issue of a demand for any forms of exploitation and bringing exploiters to responsibility, and step up measures to curb their activity. Belarusian MPs are also set to hold several meetings to discuss bilateral cooperation, interaction and coordination of positions in international organizations. Partaking in the session will be more than 250 parliamentarians from over 50 OSCE member states. The Belarusian delegation will be led by Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Viktor Guminsky. The annual session will complete on 10 July with the election of OSCE PA executives and adoption of the Belgrade Declaration which will help shape the OSCE and the national policy, the press service noted.

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