MALTESE PARLIAMENTARIANS ATTEND THE NINTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY IN ROMANIA

MALTESE PARLIAMENTARIANS ATTEND THE NINTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY IN ROMANIA

A parliamentary delegation led by the Hon. John Vella and comprising the Hon. Frederick Azzopardi and the Hon. George Vella will be attending the Ninth Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to be held in Bucharest, Romania, between the 5^th and 11^th July 2000.

The 317 members of the Assembly include leading Parliamentarians from 54 participating states. In addition, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Assembly of the Western European Union, the North Atlantic Assembly, the Interparliamentary Union, the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS and the European Parliament all have official observer status in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

The opening plenary session will be addressed by the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Ms. Helle Degn; the President of Romania, Mr. Emil Constantinescu; the Speaker of the House of Deputies, Mr. Ion Diaconescu; and the President of the Senate, Mr. Mircea Ionescu Quintus. The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner will also address the Assembly and answer questions from the floor.

The three Committees of the Parliamentary Assembly - the Committee on Political Affairs and Security; the Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment and the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions - will consider three reports and draft resolutions. These reports and resolutions deal with different and interrelated aspects - political, economic and human rights - of the central theme of the Ninth Annual Session: OSCE Challenges in the 21^st Century - Good Governance: Regional Cooperation, Strengthening Democratic Institutions, Promoting Transparency, Enforcing the Rule of Law and Combating Corruption.

During the Bucharest Session the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE will elect a new President and various officers of the Assembly.