International

The Council of Europe has been invited to send observers to Russia for the approaching parliamentary elections, and SP Senate leader Tiny Kox has been named head of the mission. To prepare the ground he will next week visit Moscow, in the company of four other members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Whilst in Russia, Senator Kox will meet with leaders of the seven political parties participating in the elections, four of which are currently represented in the Duma of the Russian Federation. In addition, he will speak with the leaders of parties which have not been given permission to stand, as well as representatives of human rights organisations and other movements involved in developments in the Council of Europe’s biggest member state. A meeting will also be held with representatives of the Russian media, while on Friday afternoon Kox and his four colleagues will host a closing press conference.
Senator Kox will return to Russia on 30th November when he will be accompanied by a team of forty Members of Parliament from the various Council of Europe member states whose purpose will be to observe the elections to be held on 4th December. The Council of Europe’s observer mission will be conducted in close cooperation with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).