Written question asked by Lord Judd (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Malloch-Brown (Labour) on Wednesday, 28 November 2007.

Russia: Elections

Question: What representations they have made to the Government of Russia concerning their belief that Russian restrictions on the international observation of Duma elections on 2 December will hamper the work of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Council of Europe in concluding an effective election and monitoring mission.

Answer: The UK has raised the issue in the reinforced Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Permanent Council in Vienna. The Government support the subsequent decision of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) not to observe the Russian Duma elections under the unprecedented restrictions concerning numbers of observers and preparations imposed by the Russian authorities. The Government remain deeply concerned by Russia’s actions, which undermine the principles of objective election observation. The UK fully supports the EU presidency statement of 16 November, regretting that, due to unprecedented restrictions and a number of bureaucratic obstacles, ODIHR was unable to act on the invitation issued by the Russian Federation to observe the Duma elections, and reiterating full support to the election observation activities of ODIHR and efforts undertaken to ensure the deployment of an observation mission. The EU troika delivered this statement in Moscow to Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko on Monday 19 November. The UK has raised this issue bilaterally at senior official level with the Russian ambassadors to the UK and to the OSCE in Vienna.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 351; 696 c125-6WA
Session: 2007-08
Subjects: Elections Election observers Russia Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk