Ukraine was represented by the Head of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Head of the Permanent Delegation at OSCE PA Oleh Bilorus and the member of the Health Care Committee, the member of the Permenent Delegation at OSCE PA, the Head of the OSCE PA Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment Serhiy Shevchuk. Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna Ihor Prokopchuk also participated in the event.
The participants of the event discussed OSCE current activities in the context of Ukraine?s future heading at this organization. The attention was paid to the necessity of establishing fruitful cooperation between Ukrainian heading and the OSCE Secretariat.
Greeting the OSCE Secretary General, O.Bilorus stressed that the Ukrainian Parliament pays significant attention to cooperation under the framework of OSCE PA. In particular, he informed about the participation of the members of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at OSCE PA in the OSCE session in Monaco (Monaco Principality) at the beginning of July this year. The conflict resolution regarding Ukrainian inner political processes was adopted during this session. He also spoke about the resolution submitted by the Head of Ukrainian Delegation O.Bilorus regarding strengthening security in OSCE region. "Topicality and importance of this resolution lies in the fact that OSCE PA calls for considering issues regarding strengthening and ensuring safety of the member states of the Organization, involved in military and political alliances," O.Bilorus noted.
Apart from this, the Committee Chair spoke about the inner political situation in Ukraine in the context of preparation to the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 28 this year.
OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier noted that establishing a long-lasting close cooperation is the aim of his short-term visit to Ukraine. "Ukraine can provide and establish the necessary directions of fruitful work; it can play a leading role in resolving the frozen conflicts, especially on the territory of the former Soviet Union," the OSCE Secretary General noted. He also expressed hopes regarding Ukraine?s future heading at OSCE, which, according to him, will allow for strengthening Ukraine?s authority on the international arena.
L.Zannier stressed the importance of OSCE parliamentary dimension, saying that to implement tasks laid on the Organization there is a need in support on the part of the national parliament.