Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697723768398.pdf (Canada)
Report of the Canadian Parliamentary Delegation to the 17th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) Astana, Kazakhstan June 29 – July 3, 2008 Report From 29 June to 3 July 2008, four Canadian parliamentarians travelled to Astana to attend the seventeenth Annual Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE.
The Honourable Senator Consiglio Di Nino led the delegation, which was composed of the Honourable Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein, Bev Shipley and Peter Goldring, members of Parliament.

The delegation was accompanied by Elizabeth Rody, Chief of Protocol, Jodi Turner, Delegation Secretary, and Natalie Mychajlyszyn, Advisor.
OVERVIEW OF THE OSCE Established in 1975 as the “Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe” (CSCE), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was given its current name at the Budapest Summit in December 1994.
The OSCE participating countries, currently 56 in number(1), are “all the European states, the United States and Canada.”(2) Eleven other states from the Mediterranean area and Asia joined as observers and are known as “Partners for Cooperation.” The organization is defined as a primary instrument for early warning, conflict prevention and crisis management.
It is also recognized as a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, which requires that participating United Nations Member States “make every effort to achieve pacific settlement of local disputes through such regional arrangements or by such regional agencies before referring them to the Security Council.”(3) However, the OSCE is not an international organization in the strict sense of international law, in that its resolutions are not legally binding on the signatory countries.
The OSCE’s 2008 budget is €164.2 million, of which nearly 75% is dedicated to field operations in 16 countries.

The OSCE employs approximately 3,000 i ndividuals, the vast majority of whom are assigned to field missions.

One-quarter of the OSCE employees are seconded by the participating countries.

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An Inclusive, Global and Cooperative Approach to Security The OSCE’s unique character derives from its composition, which enables the United States and Canada to participate as full members in an organization that addresses European issues.

The OSCE favours inclusive dialogue over selective admission.

This enables it to keep communication channels open on key security issues among all of the participating states regardless of their democratic records.
It also promotes exchanges between the European Union and Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) that are not members of the Council of Europe.
Whereas the foremost goal of the Council of Europe is to harmonize democratic practices among its member states, the OSCE aims to foster the (1) (2) (3) For more information on all participating members, please visit http://www.osce.org/about/13131.html Final Recommendations of the Helsinki Consultations, Helsinki, 3 July 1973, par.

54, http://www.osce.org/documents/1973/ 07/4136_en.pdf.

Charter of the United Nations, Chapter VIII, art.

52, par.

2, http://www.un.org/aboutun/chart er/chapter8.htm.
The Security Council may also use such regional arrangements to implement coercive measures it has adopted.

development of an expansive, conflict-free geographic area – from Vancouver to Vladivostok – regardless of the democratic characteristics of the participating states.

The OSCE’s resolutions and activities stem from a comprehensive understanding of security that extends beyond the political-military model.
In the Charter for European Security, adopted at the November 1999 Istanbul Summit, the heads of state and of government of the participating countries agreed to “address the human, economic, political and military dimensions of security as an integral whole.”(4) All forms of peaceful cooperation between the participating countries are considered as having the potential to reduce the risks of conflict in the region.
The OSCE’s cooperative approach is confirmed by the fact that all 56 states have equal status.

Decisions are made by consensus rather than majority vote.

(5) B.

Operational Capacity After the end of the Cold War, the OSCE developed its institutions and operational capacities in response to particular and often urgent needs, and not as a long -term strategic plan.

The 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe laid the foundations for the OSCE’s institutional framework.
Field activities account for almost 75% of the OSCE budget.

The fact that it has no missions in Western Europe or North America is a point frequently raised by the Commonwealth of Independent States to argue that, although it claims to be cooperative and egalitarian, the OSCE applies a double standard in its relations with the participating countries.

The OSCE’s reply is that its operations stem from commitments made in a consensual manner and at the invitation of the countries themselves.
The six OSCE missions in southeast Europe account for half of the organization’s budget.

At €30 million in 2008, the budget for the Kosovo mission alone is roughly equivalent to the allocation for the OSCE Secretariat (€31.6 million).

The OSCE is led by a rotating “chairman-in-office” selected to serve a one-year term from among the foreign ministers of the participating countries.
As the organization’s senior diplomat, the chairman-in-office is supported by the Secretariat and its secretary general who are based in Vienna.

In 2008, Finland succeeded Spain as the chair of the organization.

Ilka Kanerva was the Chairman-in-Office between 1 January and 4 April, and was subsequently replaced by Alexander Stubb.

France’s Marc Perrin de Brichambaut has served as OSCE Secretary General since June 2005.
C. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) is the parliamentary dimension of the OSCE.

It was created by the OSCE (at that time the CSCE) in 1991 following the call set out by the participating States in the 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe.

Its (4) (5) Charter for European Security, par.

9, in Istanbul Document 1999, Istanbul Summit 1999, http://www.osce.org/documents/mcs/1999/11/4050_en.pdf.
In extreme cases, the “consensus minus one” rule may be invoked, for instance when a serious violation of the Organization’s principles occurs.
However, this rule has been used only once, in 1992, against the former Yugoslavia, which was readmitted as Serbia and Montenegro after the elections in the fall of 2000. primary purpose is to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue on issues faci ng the participating States, issue recommendations for their own governments, parliaments and citizens concerning the OSCE’s three spheres of action.
Among its objectives are: To assess the implementation of OSCE objectives by participating States: To discuss subjects addressed during meetings of the OSCE; To develop and promote mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of conflicts; To support the strengthening and consolidation of democratic institutions in OSCE participating States; and, To contribute to the development of OSCE institutional structures and of relations between existing OSCE Institutions.
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is organised according to three General Committees representing the three “baskets” of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and the areas of focus of the OSCE: the First General Committee on Political Affairs and Security, the Second General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, and the Third General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.
Its work is also carried out by way of ad hoc committees, working groups, and special representatives and envoys.

The Parliamentary Assembly also plays a key role in observing elections in the OSCE region and regularly sends parliamentary delegations on field missions.

It is managed by a Bureau and a Standing Committee.

The Bureau comprises a President, nine Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, the Chair, Vice-Chair and Rapporteur for each of the three General Committees, and the President Emeritus.
The Bureau is responsible for ensuring that the decisions of the Standing Committee are carried out and takes decisions by majority vote.

The Standing Committee of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly comprises the members of the Bureau and the 56 heads of delegation of the participating states.

The Standing Committee guides the work of the Assembly, approves its budget and appoints the Secretary General.
It uses the “consensus minus one” rule when voting on decisions, except in the case of the appointment of the Secretary General, which is done by a majority vote.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is administratively supported by the Secretary- General and the Secretariat who are located in Copenhagen.

These were established and became operational in January 1993 soon after the creation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
Today the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly comprises more than 300 parliamentarians who are appointed by their respective parliaments.

Observers of the Assembly include parliamentarians from the OSCE’s Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia) and Asian Partners for Cooperation (Japan, Korea, Thailand, Afghanistan and Mongolia), and representatives from other parliamentary assemblies and security organizations, such as NATO.
Since its first Annual Meeting in Budapest in July 1992, members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and representatives of the Partners for Co-operation have convened several times a year to carry out the mandate of the Assembly.

The Assembly itself meets in plenary at the Annual Session held in July and hosted by the parliament of a participating State.
The Annual Session is the most important event in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly calendar where the Assembly debates a number of OSCE matters and resolutions, receives reports, adopts the Session’s declaration, and elects its officers.

At the Fall Meetings in September, also hosted by the parliament of a participating State, the Assembly in plenary holds a conference on a topical issue.
The General Committees meet at the Annual Session to debate and adopt resolutions, and elect Committee officers; they also convene jointly and separately at the Winter Meeting in February in Vienna, where the OSCE’s headquarters are located, to discuss and debate issues of importance, receive briefings by senior OSCE officials, and hear presentations by the Rapporteurs on their draft resolutions for the Annual Session.

The Bureau meets at the Annual Session as well as in April and December.
The Standing Committee meets at the Annual Session, the Fall Meetings, and at the Winter Meeting.

The OSCE PA also convenes to discuss more specific topics either on the margins of these regular annual meetings or at other times.
For instance, the Parliamentary Forum on the Mediterranean is held during the Fall Meetings of the OSCE PA, and the Economic Conference is hosted by the parliament of a participating State every second spring The Assembly’s budget covers most of the organizational e xpenses related to the Annual Session, Winter Meeting, Fall Meetings, Standing Committee and Bureau Meetings, official visits, the election observation programme, as well as the costs of the International Secretariat.
Host parliaments of the Annual Sessions contribute significantly by providing considerable support.

The Secretariat’s office facilities are provided free of charge by the Danish Folketing.

The PA’s 2008-2009 budget is €2.86 million.

In 2007-2008 Canada has contributed €147,621.

Joao Soares (Portugal) has been president of the PA since July 2008, succeeding Göran Lennmarker (Sweden).

Spencer Oliver (United States) has served as secretary general since January 1993.
The Honourable Jerahmiel Grafstein, member of the Canadian Senate, has acted as vice-president since July 2007, having served as treasurer from 2001 to 2007.

The Honourable Senator Consiglio Di Nino, head of the Canadian delegation since February 2005, has been vice-chair of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security since July 2007.
2008 ANNUAL SESSION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY For five days from 29 June to 3 July 2008, 227 parliamentarians from 50 of the 56 OSCE participating States, together with representatives of the “Partners for Cooperation” states, met in Astana, Kazakhstan to discuss the topic, “Transparency in the OSCE Region” and a variety of other issues of importance.

This was the first Annual Session to be held in Central Asia.
The programme of the Annual Session consisted of a meeting of the Standing Committee; an Inaugural Plenary Session; three days devoted to the work of the three General Committees; parallel meetings on specific topics, such as the Working Group on Belarus, Central Asia; meetings of the ad hoc committees of the Assembly; a meeting of the Bureau; and a Closing Plenary Session.
On the fifth and last day of the Annual Session, the Astana Declaration(6), which contains all of the resolutions adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly at this Annual Session, was adopted.

The members then elected a new President of the Assembly, Mr. Joao Soares, a member of the Portuguese Parliament.

Senator Jerry Grafstein and Senator Consiglio Di Nino remained in their positions of Vice-President and Vice-Chair of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security, respectively.

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Standing Committee The Standing Committee convened on the first day to receive various activity reports and approve the budget for the next year.

President Lennmarker, Chair of the Standing Committee, began with an overview of his activities since his last report, including his trips to Canada, Iceland, Cyprus, Morocco, Tunisia and Afghanistan.

The Standing Committee also heard reports from the Special Representatives of the OSCE PA on a variety of issues of concern.
Ms. Hilda Solis (United States) delivered a report on her activities as the Special Representative on Migration.

Mr. Christopher Smith (United States), the Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues, was unable to be present in Astana and asked that his written report be circulated to delegations.

It highlights visits to Bosnia, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.

Ms.

Tone Tingsgård (Sweden), Special Representative on Gender, presented her report.
Anne- Marie Lizin (Belgium), Special Representative on Guantanamo, presented her report on the situation of the detainees following her visit in March 2008.

And Roberto Battelli (Slovenia), Special Representative on South East Europe, presented his report on peace and security developments in the region.

Mr. Alcee Hastings (United States) presented a summary of his activities as Special Representative on Mediterranean Affairs, which included a briefing on the plight of Iraqi refugees.
Reports were also made by the Special Co-ordinators of the three election observations missions that took place since the last meeting of the Standing Committee in February 2008: Serbia, Georgia, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
President Emeritus Alcee Hastings (USA) and OSCE PA Secretary General Spencer Oliver reported on the May 2008 meeting with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on cooperation in election observation which ended without agreement on the matter.
The Standing Committee also heard the report of the Assembly’s Treasurer, Mr. Hans Raidel (Germany), which noted that the Assembly continues to operate well within its overall budget guidelines and to receive positive assessments from auditors o n financial management.

The Standing Committee unanimously approved the proposed budget for the 2008/2009 financial year which begins 1 October 2008.
The budget provides for increased expenditures of just fewer than seven percent to cover inflation and a small increase in secretariat staff.
(6) For the full Declaration, please see http://www.oscepa.org/oscepa_content/doc uments/Astana/Declaration/2008-AS- Final%20Declaration%20ENG.pdf Dr. Pétur Blöndel, Special Representative on the OSCE budget, in his report on the 2008 OSCE Budget and the 2009 Prospective Budget, noted concern about the budget’s zero nominal growth and the resulting decrease in OSCE resources over time.

Senator Di Nino briefed the Standing Committee about preparations for the upcoming Fall Meetings in Toronto.
Alcee Hastings (United States) welcomed the decision of the Assembly to hold an event in Washington on the upcoming U.S. elections immediately following the September meeting of the OSCE PA in Toronto.

The Standing Committee accepted invitations from the Irish Delegation to host the Economic Conference in Dublin in May 2009 and from the Greek Delegation to host the Fall Meetings in Athens in October 2009.
B. Inaugural Plenary Session At the inaugural plenary session in the afternoon, the participants heard a number of presentations, including those by the President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Göran Lennmarker (Sweden), the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym - Jomart Tokayev, Speaker of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aslan Mussin, the OSCE Secretary General, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Knut Vollebaek.
The Special Representative on Gender Issues, Tone Tingsgård (Sweden), also presented her report to the plenary.

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Göran Lennmarker, opened the 17th Annual Session.

He thanked the Kazakh government for hosting the event and underlined the significance of holding it in Kazakhstan, which will assume the Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2010, the first participating state from Central Asia to do so.
He also introduced the theme of the Annual Session, Transparency in the OSCE, highlighting challenges that are faced in this regard by the OSCE and the participating States and the need for reform in order to enhance the unique and invaluable roles of the Parliamentary Assembly and the OSCE in regional security and stability.
In light of the location of the Annual Session, Mr. Lennmarker stressed the need for the OSCE and the participating States to consider their interdependence with the rest of the world in general and to strengthen links with Central Asia in particular.

He noted the importance of increasing the OSCE’s involvement in Afghanistan, particularly with respect to parliamentary relations, in order to support Afghanistan’s efforts to fight the threats to its democracy.
Mr. Lennmarker indicated his gratitude to those who have supported the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in its work to support democratic reforms, conflict resolution and prevention, and election obser vation throughout the OSCE area.

In particular, he highlighted the importance of the OSCE speaking with one voice with respect to OSCE election observation missions.

He reviewed some issues that remained outstanding from his tenure, such as the ratification of the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty.
He shared his optimism for the opportunities that were available to resolve the unsettled conflicts in the OSCE region, especially in light of their political, economic and human costs.

Mr. Lennmarker also recommended that Palestine should be considered as a potential partner of cooperation in order to deepen the OSCE’s dialogue with countries in the region.
He concluded with expressions of gratitude to the support he received during his two-year tenure as president from the Bureau, his home parliament and government, the Secretary General and the Secretariat.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev welcomed members of the Parliamentary Assembly.
He highlighted the significance of the session being held for the first time in Central Asia and the important role that the Parliamentary Assembly plays within the OSCE and as a link between the organization and the people of its participating States.

He underlined the security challenges of a multipolar world and pointed to the imbalance of some military treaties as an issue that should be tackled by the OSCE.
President Nazarbayev gave an overview of Kazakhstan’s achievements and progress since declaring independence in 1991, particularly regarding external relations.

In this respect, he noted Kazakhstan’s denuclearization and elaborated on the country’s positive role in regional and global security structures.
President Nazarbayev also spoke about Kazakhstan’s economic role, and its agricultural and natural resource potentials which could be harnessed in cooperation with Western countries to gain access to their technologies.

He emphasised the opportunities for further dialogue and exchange in this regard.

He reiterated Kazakhstan’s commitment to democracy and the human dimension, in particular inter-ethnic peace.
In concluding his remarks, the president touched on the necessity to transform the activities of the OSCE in a way that would better reflect the perspectives of all its participating States, particularly in the areas of security, racism and xenophobia.

The Speaker of the Kazkh Senate, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in his welcome remarks to the Assembly, noted his country’s commitment to OSCE values.
He focused on the importance of parliamentary democracy and inter-parliamentary dialogue in developing processes of integration and harmonization, and relayed Kazakhstan’s contributions in this regard.

He noted that holding the Annual Session in Astana, a symbol of the country’s independence and at a time that it is celebrating its tenth anniversary, is deepening the partnership between the OSCE and the country.
He highlighted the country’s involvement in regional confidence-building measures and security organizations, as well as its promotion of inter-faith and inter-ethnic tolerance.

He concluded by welcoming the confidence that the OSCE has shown in Kazakhstan by appointing it to the Chairmanship of the OSCE for 2010 and by emphasising Central Asia’s contributions to strengthening the OSCE in general and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in particular.
The Speaker of the Mazhilis, Aslan Mussin, welcomed the participants.

He noted that holding the Annual Session in Astana underscored the acknowledgement of Kazakhstan’s commitment to openness and dialogue.

In this regard, he highlighted Kazakhstan’s progress in freedom of expression, transparency and the fight against corruption.
He concluded by emphasising the importance of interparliamentary dialogue and cooperation, particularly with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the impact of this dialogue on the Kazakh parliament’s role in promoting development and prosperity in the country.

The OSCE Secretary General, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, in his remarks highlighted the OSCE’s role as a forum for political engagement and a framework for responding to current challenges.
He emphasised that it was the responsibility of the Assembly members to remind their governments of their commitments to OSCE principles.

He noted the encouraging results of the recent establishment of the Quintet cooperation format, including agreement among the Quintet Ministers on the principle of multi-year planning for OSCE priorities.
These priorities include OSCE engagement with Afghanistan, the challenges of illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, combating trafficking in human beings, and strengthening dialogue with the Partners for Co- operation.

Mr. de Brichambaut then took questions from the Assembly.

The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), Knut Vollebaek, highlighted the valued role of minority communities in enhancing dialogue and mutual understanding among States.
He recalled the obligations of governments to protect the rights of national minorities living under their jurisdiction and to respect the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty when supporting fellow nationals living under the jurisdiction of other States.

He informed the Assembly that his Recommendations on National Minorities in Inter-State Relations will be launched in the coming months.
These recommendations emphasise in particular that, under international law, kin-States are not allowed to intervene unilaterally or to exercise jurisdiction over citizens of another State without that State's consent, except in limited areas such as education.

A series of regional consultations are also planned in order to discuss their implementation by participating States.

The HCNM reported on his visits to South-Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Baltic region.
During these visits he met with high-ranking officials and civil society representatives to assess inter-ethnic relations.

He stressed the need to implement public commitments and legislation on inter-ethnic relations in order to enhance dialogue and build trust.

He emphasised that education was an important tool by which national minorities can be integrated.
He also offered his services to assist lawmakers of various participating States with specific issues in order to draft appropriate policies for the protection and promotion of minority rights.

The Special Representative on Gender Issues, Tone Tingsgård, presented her 2008 Gender Report to the Assembly.

She highlighted that violence against women remained a troubling issue in many societies.
In providing updates on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security as well as on situation of gender equality in the OSCE in general and in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in particular, she expressed her concern that women’s representation is a fading issue.

Women are still underrepresented in OSCE institutional positions, including in management positions, as well as at field missions.
Delegations of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly also need to improve their record in including women parliamentarians.

She announced that she has begun work to amend the Assembly’s Rights of Procedure in order to make full voting rights in the Assembly dependent upon both genders being represented on each delegation.
The Assembly also discussed and adopted a resolution on transparency and further OSCE reform in order to reinforce parliamentary participation in the organization, presented by Hans Raidel (Germany).

In particular, the resolution recommends that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and its recommendations need to be better integrated into the decision-making process of the OSCE more generally.
Moreover, it recommends that the consensus rule should be modified for decisions related to personnel, budget and administration, and that in all other cases a country which blocks or holds up consensus must do so openly and be prepared to defend its position publicly.

It also urges parliamentarians to engage regularly with relevant senior government officials responsible for formulating policy relating to the OSCE with the aim of advancing the Assembly’s proposals.
The Inaugural Plenary was closed by President Lennmarker.

C. General Committee on Political Affairs and Security Chair: Mr. Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco) Vice-Chair: Senator Consiglio Di Nino (Canada) Rapporteur: Mr. Wolfgang Grossruck (Austria) 1.
Report and Principal Resolution Following the theme of the Annual Session, Transparency in the OSCE, the Committee, chaired by Mr. Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco), considered the report submitted by its Rapporteur, Mr. Wolgang Grossruck (Austria) which dealt with enhancing oversight in democratic control of the armed forces, specifically the regulation of Private Military Companies (PMCs) and Private Security Companies (PSCs).
This is an area that is not addressed by the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security (CoC), a progressive framework for enhancing democratic control of the armed forces among the OSCE participating States.

The Committee debated Mr. Grossruck’s draft resolution on this topic and amendments proposed by Committee members.
The amended and adopted resolution calls on greater transparency and regulation of the activities of the PMCs and PSCs, including an extension of parliamentary oversight over these companies.

It also urges a stronger application among participating States of democratic principles to the control of the armed forces, including national security policies and doctrines.
It specifically urges the participating States to coordinate efforts in discussing the use of PMCs and PSCs and to include in engagement contracts obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law.

It also recommends that a manual on the use of PMCs and PSCs for missions in armed conflict and post-conflict situations be developed.
It also requests the OSCE Secretary General to prepare for the 2009 Winter Meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly a study on the use of PMCs and PSCs and best practices of democratic control.

It also calls upon each Minister of Defence to provide an assessment of the private military companies and private security companies used by the national armed forces.

The resolution is included in the Astana Declaration.

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Supplementary Items The Committee also debated the following Supplementary Items and any proposed amendments.

The amended and adopted supplementary items were included in the Astana Declaration.

Banning Cluster Munitions In Participating States Of The OSCE Area.

The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Michel Voisin (France), stresses that the humanitarian and economic consequences of cluster munitions are unacceptable.
Highlighting the impact of these weapons on civilian popula tions, the item welcomes the adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions at the Dublin Diplomatic Conference of May 2008 and recommends that participating States sign the document.

It also encourages participating States to ensure the destruction of a ll cluster munitions under their jurisdiction and take measures to forbid the use, the production, the transfer or the stockpile of cluster munitions on their territory.
Cyber Security and Cyber Crime.

The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Paul-Eerik Rummo (Estonia), underlines the great challenge posed by cyber attacks to governments and the growing concerns expressed in international fora such as the Council of Europe, the European Union, NATO and the UN General Assembly.
It urges OSCE participating States and all other members of the international community to consider joining the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime and encourages the relevant state legislatures to improve co-operation in the field of cyber security.

Finally, it suggests that the OSCE function as a regional mechanism supporting, coordinating and reviewing national activities in this field.

The Security Environment in Georgia.


The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Alcee Hastings (United States), expresses concern over the growing tensions in the conflict zones of Georgia and the possible consequences for the broader European security environment.

It urges the Russian government to refrain from maintaining ties with the regions in question in any manner that would constitute a challenge to the sovereignty of Georgia.
It also urges the Russian government to abide by OSCE standards and generally accepted international norms with respect to the threat or use of force to resolve conflicts in relations with other participating States.

Afghanistan.

The resolution, sponsored by Senator Consiglio Di Nino (Canada), comprehensively highlights the numerous challenges facing the Afghan people and government as well as the international community in sustaining Afghanistan’s transition to security and stability.
It emphasises the opportunities that are available to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to deepen its engagement with Afghanistan, particularly its parliamentarians; such opportunities reflect commitments made to this end in previous Assembly declarations and by other OSCE structures.
It calls on a concerted effort by the international community and Afghanistan’s neighbours to continue to support Afghanistan in its efforts to meet the commitments of the Afghanistan Compact, the Afghanistan National Development Strategy and the Afghanistan Millennium Development Goals in order to promote comprehensive security in the OSCE region.
In particular, the resolution: Encourages the national parliaments of the OSCE: a. to impress upon their governments the need to strengthen their contributions, military and humanitarian, to Afghanistan’s security and stability where needed, b. to hold their governments and the international community to account regarding donor pledges, c. to sustain the political will of their governments in Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development, and in political negotiations that may be undertaken and led by the Government of Afghanistan; Finally, the resolution suggests that the OSCE provide election support to Afghanistan in its upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
At the end of its meetings, Committee members elected Mr. Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco) Chair, Senator Consiglio Di Nino (Canada) Vice-Chair, and Mr. Riccardo Migliori (Italy) Rapporteur.

D. General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment Chair: vacant (the previous Chair, Leonid Ivanchmenko (Russia) is no longer a member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly) Vice-Chair: Petros Efthymiou (Greece) Rapporteur: Roland Blum (France) 1.
Report and Principal Resolution The Committee, chaired by Mr. Petros Efthymiou (Greece), considered the report submitted by its Rapporteur, Mr. Roland Blum (France) and presented in his absence by his colleague, Mr. Stéphane Demilly (France).

Follo wing the theme of the Annual Session, Transparency in the OSCE, and the report dealt with the relationship between the environment and security.
It listed a number of environmental risks, such as climate change, changing agricultural practices, accidental pollution, and their impact on new security challenges, such as tensions over access to natural resources, food crises, and population issues.

The report also suggested several solutions which ranged from integrating sustainable development into economic policies and enhancing international governance, notably at the OSCE level.
The Committee debated Mr. Blum’s draft resolution on this topic and any amendments proposed by Committee members.

Among other recommendations, the amended and adopted resolution calls on non-signatory participating States to sign and ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

It also recommends that conferences be held at which views on the national energy strategies of participating States can be exchanged.
Participating States are also asked to make sustainable development a priority and to co-ordinate their actions in order to minimize the impact of food shortages and ensure the adequacy of food supply.

The resolution is included in the Astana Declaration.

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Supplementary Items The Committee also debated the following Supplementary Items and any proposed validated amendments.

The amended and adopted supplementary items are included in the Astana Declaration.

A Mediterranean Free Trade Area.


The resolution, sponsored by Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein (Canada), highlights the relationship between commercial exchange and peace and draws attention to various free trade initiatives involving the Mediterranean region.

It recommends the creation of a Mediterranean Economic Commission whose objecti ve would be to quickly reduce trade barriers and facilitate the transition to a knowledge-based economy in countries in the region.
It also recommends the creation of a Mediterranean Agricultural Marketing Board whose objective would be to create jobs in the agriculture sector for young people in the region.

Finally, the resolution calls on OSCE participating countries and partner states for co-operation to intensify their efforts under the various initiatives already in place in order to expedite the establishment of a free-trade area among all Mediterranean countries.

Expanding Trade Between North America and Europe.


The resolution, sponsored by Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein (Canada), calls on OSCE participating States to support multilateral, inter-institutional and bilateral initiatives to promote European-North American trade.

It also recommends that such initiatives consider the greater involvement of appropriate regional and sub-regional governments and groupings.

Water Management in the OSCE Area.


The resolution, sponsored by Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein (Canada), highlights the severity of water management issues and scarcity of water resources faced by many states in the OSCE region, particularly in terms of safe and clean drinking water.

It also noted the link between resource issues and disputes or conflicts within or between states.
It calls on participating States to undertake sound water management to support sustainable environmental policies, including the adoption of the multiple barrier approach to drinking water protection, with particular attention to water tables, in national, regional and local regulations.
It also calls on the participating States to continue their work with other regional and international institutions and organizations with respect to water management solutions and the establishment of supranational arbitral commissions with decision-making powers delegated by the States.

Encouraging Transparency in the Extractive Industries.
The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Benjamin Cardin (United States), stresses the need for establishing a legal framework for extractive industries, especially in poor countries, in order to improve transparency and help secure a stable and predictable business environment.

Illicit Air Transport of Small Arms and Light Weapons and Their Ammunition.
The resolution, sponsored by Mr. François-Xavier de Donnea (Belgium), calls on participating States to voluntarily implement numerous decisions made by the Forum for Security and Cooperation (FSC) on this issue, including greater control of aerial transport and traffic, as well as those of the Best Practice Guide.

It also calls on them to ensure proper management of related stocks and ammunitions, as well as the destruction of surpluses as appropriate.
The supplementary item also calls on states to support and complement the work undertaken by the UN and to promote and encourage cooperation on this topic in other international and regional fora, including those in Africa and Asia.

Chernobyl.
Chernobyl.

The resolution, sponsored by Ms. Natalia Andreichik (Belarus), welcomes multilateral and national efforts that have been carried out to mitigate the effects of the 1986 disaster and calls on participating States to continue bilateral and multilateral cooperation in order to deal with the remaining health, economic and environmental issues.

It also recommends that a Special Representative on Chernobyl be appointed by the President of the OSCE PA to promote associated issues.
Urging adoption of the Paris Club Commitment Regarding Vulture Funds, sponsored by Ms Gwen Moore (United States), raises awareness of the extra pressure put on poor countries when their debts are sold by countries to funds who engage in abusive litigation against them, endangering the possibilities for these countries to restore a healthy economy.

It also calls on standards and legislation to be developed that reduce the impact of Vulture Funds and prevent them from buying debt from indebted countries.
At the end of the meetings, Committee members elected Mr. Petros Efthymiou (Greece) Chair, Mr. Roland Blum (France) Vice-Chair, and Mr. Ivor Callely (Ireland) Rapporteur.

E. General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions Chair: vacant (the previous chair, Jesus Lopez-Medel (Spain), is no longer a member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly) Vice-Chair: Ms Hilda Solis (USA) Rapporteur: Ms Walburga Habsburg-Douglas (Sweden) 1.
Report and Principal Resolution The Committee, chaired by Ms Hilda Solis (USA), considered the report submitted by its Rapporteur, Ms Walburga Habsburg-Douglas (Sweden).

Following the theme of the Annual Session, Transparency in the OSCE, and the report dealt with the importance of transparency in promoting democracy and human rights.

It underscored the inability of many people to reconcile with their past due to the drastic and rapid historical changes that took place with the end of the Cold War.
It noted the importance of allowing people easier access to political and historical archives to facilitate historical inquiries; one method by which this can be achieved is by cooperation among States.

The report also noted the importance of transparency for democratic elections, good administration, and the work of parliaments The Committee debated Ms Habsburg -Douglas’ draft resolution on this topic and any amendments proposed by Committee members.
The amended and adopted resolution among other recommendations calls on all participating States to work for greater transparency in the organization of and access to political and historical archives; the legislative process; the election process; the administrative process; work in Parliament; the rule of law; and the activity of international organizations in order to strengthen democratic processes.
It also calls upon all OSCE participating States to cooperate with each other to ensure the smooth and swift return of archives to their countries of origin.

It also encourages the establishment of joint history commissions between participating to illuminate contentious episodes in the history of participating States, with a view to further contributing to transparency and mutual understanding.

The resolution is included in the Astana Declaration.

2.
2.

Supplementary Items The Committee also debated the following Supplementary Items sponsored by and any proposed amendments.

The adopted supplementary items are included in the Astana Declaration.

Combating the Sexual Exploitation of Children.

The resolution, sponsored by Ms Anne-Marie Lizin (Belgium), condemns all forms of child sexual exploitation and urges the participating States to undertake specific and concrete measures to fight these crimes against children.

Violence Against Women.


The resolution, sponsored by Tone Tingsgaard (Sweden), reaffirms the importance of the 2004 OSCE Action Plan for Gender Issues and the 2005 Ministerial Council Decision on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women, and calls on participating States to take concrete actions to fight violence against women, to protect women who are victims of domestic violence and to increase economic opportunities for women.
It also urges the OSCE and the governments of all participating States to promote women for all leadership positions, including in management and in police enforcements.

It also urges national Parliaments to ensure gender balance in the composition of the delegations to the OSCE PA. Recognising the Economic, Cultural, Political and Social Contributions of Migrants.
The resolution, sponsored by Ms. Hilda Solis (United States), recognises the diversity and skills of migrant communities throughout participating States and their contributions to the economies of OSCE participating States.
It encourages parliamentarians to engage in actions to commemorate the positive economic, cultural, and social contributions of migrant communities, such as introducing legislation, speaking out against anti-migrant sentiments in their parliaments, working with migrant communities to develop policies which empower all and protect vulnerable migrants such as women, children, and racial and ethnic minorities.
It also encourages participating States to promote the potential of migrant communities by improving their economic, educational, civic, and social integration.

It also urges participating States to work towards optimizing remittance mechanisms and small business micro-loan programmes, particularly for women.

Combating Anti-Semitism, Especially its Manifestations in Media and Academia.
The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Gert Weisskirchen (Germany), calls attention to incidents of anti-Semitism and urges the participating States to report such incidents and undertake specific steps in order to fight anti-Semitism, specifically in the media.

It also urges participating States to present written reports on their activities to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination at the 2009 Annual Session.

The Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine.


The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Oleh Bilorus (Ukraine), pays tribute to the victims of the Holodomor.

It invites all the participating States to commemorate its 75th anniversary and strongly encourages all parliaments to adopt acts regarding its recognition.

It should be noted that this resolution was fully supported by the Canadian delegation and is in line with the position of the Canadian parliament.
Strengthening Efforts to Combat All Forms of Trafficking in Human Beings and Addressing the Special Needs of Child Victims.

The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Christopher Smith (United States), calls upon the participating States to undertake comprehensive measures to fight human trafficking through strengthened legislation, increased resources, and better international cooperation and coordination with non- governmental organizations.
It also calls on the development of programs and initiatives that reduce the demand that drives the trafficking of persons.

Observation Missions.

The resolution, sponsored by Mr. Christian Miesch (Switzerland), underscores the importance of election observation by the OSCE and stresses the leadership role that the Parliamentary Assembly plays in this regard.
At the end of the meetings, Committee members elected Ms. Hilda Solis (USA) Chair, Ms. Walburga Habsburg-Douglas (Sweden) Vice-Chair, and Ms. Natalia Karpovich (Russian Federation) Rapporteur.

F. Closing Plenary Session The Closing Plenary Session began with an address by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Mr. Alexander Stubb (Finland).
After thanking the hosts for the Annual Session, he remarked on the important role Kazakhstan is playing in the OSCE and stressed the importance of the country’s development and continued commitment to reform.

Mr. Stubb shared with the Assembly the priorities of the Finnish Chairmanship, including the resolution of the conflicts in the Caucasus and in Trans-Dniester, supporting the transition of developing countries of the OSCE, and promoting cooperative security in Central Asia, particularly Afghanistan.
In particular, he stated that it was necessary to focus on respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the promotion of democracy and rule of law.

He pointed to the Kazakh Chairmanship in 2010 as indicative of how much the world has changed over the past 35 years since the first Helsinki conference.

In this respect, he noted that the OSCE itself is an organization in transition and that it is important to address the challenges facing the Organization.
He also gave credit to the OSCE PA for the special role it plays.

In highlighting election observation as a fundamental task of the OSCE, Mr. Stubb reiterated the importance of cooperation between the OSCE PA and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and his hope that the new leadership of these institutions would advance cooperation in election observation for the sake of democratization.
Mr. Spencer Oliver, Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, delivered his report on the activities of the Assembly over the past year to the delegates.

These included the Fall Meetings which were held in Portoroz in September 2007, the OSCE PA’s participation in the Ministerial Council which was held last December in Madrid, the Winter Meeting held in Vienna in February 2008, and the April 2008 Bureau Meeting held in Copenhagen.
Mr. Oliver also reported on the OSCE PA’s extensive programme of election observation over the past year, noting that more than 250 parliamentarians participated in election observation missions in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation, twice in Georgia, Serbia, Kyrgyzstan, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The Treasurer’s Report was delivered by President Göran Lennmarker in the absence of the Treasurer, Mr. Hans Raidel (Germany).
He reported that the Standing Committee unanimously approved the budget for the next financial year, beginning on 1 October 2008.

Several members of the Assembly briefly addressed the plenary during the time allotted on a wide variety of issues.

The Chairs of the three General Committees, Mr. Jean-Charles Gardetto, Mr. Petros Efthymiou and Ms. Hilda Solis presented the work of each Committee.
The Astana Declaration, which consists of the final resolutions from each of the three General Committees and the supplementary items referred to the General Committees, was then adopted.
Specifically, the Declaration deals with enhancing oversight in democratic control of the armed forces, specifically the regulation of Private Military Companies (PMCs) and Private Security Companies (PSCs); the relationship between the environment and security; allowing people easier access to political and historical archives to facilitate historical inquiries; banning cluster munitions; cyber security; the security environment in Georgia; Afghanistan; a Mediterranean Free Trade Area; expanding trade between North America and Europe; water management; transparency in extractive industries; small arms and light weapons; Chernobyl; vulture funds; combating the sexual exploitation of children; violence against women; recognizing the economic, cultural, political and social contributions of migrants; combating anti - semitism; Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine; strengthening efforts to combat all forms of trafficking in human bei ngs and addressing the special needs of child victims; observation missions.
The Assembly then elected the following new Assembly officers: President, Mr. Joao Soares (Portugal); Treasurer, Mr. Hans Raidel (Germany); Vice-President, Ms. Pia Christmas-Moeller (Denmark); Vice-President, Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (Kazakhstan); Vice-President, Mr. Oleh Bilorus (Ukraine); Vice-President, Mr. Wolfgang Grossruck (Austria).

Mr. Göran Lennmarker began service as President Emeritus.

The next Annual Session will be held in July 2009 in Vilnius, Lithuania.
ACTIVITIES OF THE CANADIAN DELEGATION Every member of the Canadian delegation attended the Plenary sessions and the General Committee meetings of the Annual Session.
Every member also made statements at the Plenary and/or General Committee meetings: Senator Consiglio Di Nino, Head of the Delegation: - During the time allocated for additional points at the Opening Plenary, Senator Di Nino addressed the Assembly about the need for greater cooperation on Afghanistan and brought their attention to his supplementary item on the topic.

- He also carried out his duties as Vice-Chair of the meetings of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security.
- Senator Di Nino also presented a supplementary item on Afghanistan to the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security.

It should be noted that this resolution generated the most debate and the largest scope of opinion.

It was the type of debate and discussion that should be held on such an important issue.

It was adopted with approximately 90% support of the members.
- Senator Di Nino also spoke on the following supplementary items:  on Encouraging Transparency in the Extractive Industries (United States of America – Benjamin Cardin) presented in the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology, and Environment);  on the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine (Ukraine – Oleh Bilorus) presented in the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions;  on Recognising the Economic, Civic and Social Contributions of Migrants (United States of America – Hilda Solis) presented in the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.
- During the time allocated for additional points at the Closing Plenary, Senator Di Nino also addressed the Assembly about the OSCE PA’s relationship with ODIHR with respect to election observation missions.

- Senator Di Nino also participated in the meeting of the Standing Committee which he briefed about preparations for the upcoming Fall Meetings in Toronto.

- He also attended the Bureau Meeting.


Senator Jerry Grafstein: - Senator Grafstein carried out his duties as Vice-President of the OSCE PA; - He also presented three supplementary items to the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, which were all adopted:  Expanding Trade between North America and Europe;  Water Management in the OSCE Area; and  Mediterranean Free Trade Area.
It should be noted that there was generally good debate on the resolution to expa nd trade between North America and Europe.

The resolution on water management was very well received and puts Canada ahead with respect to this issue.

These resolutions were adopted almost unanimously by the membership.
- Senator Grafstein also spoke during the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions on the supplementary item on Combating Anti-Semitism, Especially its Manifestations in the Media and in Academia (Germany - Gert Weisskirchen).

- Senator Grafstein also participated in the meeting of the Standing Committee.

- He also attended the Bureau Meeting.


- On the margins of the OSCE PA, Senator Grafstein met with legal representatives of Canadian and American leaders of a religious minority group who were recently detained, tried and deported from Canada.

It was determined that Canadian officials were thorough within the legal framework in their assistance to the individuals concerned.

Mr. Bev Shipley, M.P.
: - Mr. Shipley made statements of support on the following supplementary items:  on Afghanistan (Canada – Consiglio Di Nino) during the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security;  on Expanding Trade between North America and Europe (Canada – Jerry Grafstein) during the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment;;  on Water Management in the OSCE Area (Canada – Jerry Grafstein) during the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment;  on a Mediterranean Free Trade Area (Canada – Jerry Grafstein) during the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment;  on Strengthening Efforts to Combat All Forms of Trafficking in Human Beings and Addressing the Special Needs of Child Victims (United States of America – Christopher Smith) during the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions; Mr. Peter Goldring, M.P.
: - Mr. Goldring made a statement during the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions on the supplementary item on the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine (Ukraine – Oleh Bilorus).

Although the resolution itself did not refer to the Holodomor as a genocide, Mr. Goldring did refer to it as such in his statement.
- He also introduced friendly amendments to Senator Di Nino’s resolution on Afghanistan on behalf of the United States delegation during the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security.
As a delegation, the parliamentarians were also very active: On arrival in Astana on Saturday, 28 June, the complete delegation met with the Canadian Ambassador, Margaret Skok, the political counsellor of the Canadian embassy, Deidrah Kelly, and the second secretary of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE, Curtis Peters, for a briefing session on the main issues in Canada- Kazakhstan relations, including development of commercial ties, and Canada-OSCE relations.
In particular, Ms Skok indicated that Kazakhstan had just appointed its first ambassador to Canada.

On Tuesday, 1 July, the delegation hosted an event to publicise the Fall Meetings of the OSCE PA taking place in Toronto in September 2008.

On Tuesday, 1 July, the delegation, together with Canadian diplomatic representatives, met with the Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E.
Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev and officials from the Kazakh parliament and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

At the meeting, the parties discussed Kazakhstan’s commitments to OSCE principles and its progress in democratic development, issues related to Canada-Kazakhstan relations, specifically the appointment of the Kazakhstan’s first ambassador to Canada, Canada- Kazakhstan nuclear cooperation, agricultural and business opportunities, and mutual concerns in Afghanistan.
Senator Di Nino also personally invited Speaker Tokayev to the Fall Meetings of the OSCE PA to be held in Toronto in September 2008.

On Wednesday, 2 July, Senator Di Nino, Mr. Shipley and the Canadian Ambassador met with the Kazakh Minister of Agriculture to discuss the long standing cooperation with Kazakhstan in the field of agricultural and to promote its further development.
On Wednesday, 2 July, the delegation met with the Canadian Ambassador, Ms Kelly, Mr. Peters and Robert Hage, Director General, Europe, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, who was attending the Annual Session as part of his official visit to Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
It should be noted that the bilateral relationship between Canada and Kazakhstan and its potential development was strengthened by the activities of the parliame ntary delegation, notably by meeting with Speaker Tokayev who has tremendous influence in Kazakhstan.

Indeed, Speaker Tokayev may attend the Fall Meetings on account of the personal invitation from the Canadian parliamentary delegation.
Mr. Shipley’s impressive performance at the meeting with the Minister of Agriculture may also impact favourably on the agricultural relationship between the two countries and of the positive direction Canada can go in this field.

Moreover, a visit by a Canadian parliamentary delegation was of added value in reinforcing the parliamentary development and democratisation in a country such as Kazakhstan which, although it has come a long way, still has some challenges to overcome.
As the Canadian ambassador noted, the parliamentary visit successfully reinforced the bilateral relationship, particularly where few if any Ministers have had an opportunity to visit Kazakhstan and moves Canada closer into the sphere of countries that have very close relations with key leaders in Kazakhstan.

In conclusion, it should be noted that Astana provided a very interesting venue for the Annual Session of the OSCE.
The Kazakhstan parliament was a very hospitable host and was also very accommodating.

By hosting such a successful Annual Session, the Canadian parliamentary delegation noted that Kazakhstan should be encouraged to be more involved in the OSCE, even as it prepares to take on the Chairmanship in 2010.

The Annual Session addressed many interesting topics, several of which also resonate with Canadians.

Indeed, the quality of debate on the topics was better than in the past.
The Canadian delegation distinguished itself with above average participation by all members; this was acknowledged by many other delegations.

In particular, the delegation from the Ukrainian parliament noted their gratitude for the Canadian support of its resolution on the Holodomor.

The Canadian delegation to the OSCE PA is certainly carrying more weight and earning the respect of its fellow delegates.

Respectfully submitted, Mr. Bev Shipley, M.P.


Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) ASSOCIATION ACTIVITY DESTINATION DATES DELEGATION SENATE Travel Costs Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) 17th Annual Session Astana, Kazakhstan June 29 – July 3, 2008 Senator Consiglio Di Nino and Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein HOUSE OF COMMONS Mr. Bev Shipley, M.P.
and Mr. Peter Goldring, M.P.

STAFF Mrs. Jodi Turner, Mrs. Natalie Mychajlyszyn and Mrs. Elizabeth Rody TRANSPORTATION ACCOMMODATION HOSPITALITY PER DIEMS OFFICIAL GIFTS MISCELLANEOUS / REGISTRATION FEES $67,871.93 $20,517.30 $5,887.17 $5,991.79 $170.00 $75.17 TOTAL $100,513.36 Appendices 1.

Speaking Notes for Senator Di Nino on Afghanistan 2.

Speaking Notes for Senator Di Nino on Encouraging Transparency in the Extractive Industries 3.
Speaking Notes for Senator Di Nino on the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine 4.

Speaking Notes for Senator Di Nino on Recognising the Economic, Civic and Social Contributions of Migrants 5.

Speaking Notes for Senator Di Nino during the Closing Plenary 6.

Speaking Notes for Senator Grafstein on Expanding Trade between North America and Europe 7.

Speaking Notes for Senator Grafstein on Water Management in the OSCE Area 8.

Speaking Notes for Senator Grafstein on a Mediterranean Free Trade Area 9.
Speaking Notes for Mr. Shipley on Afghanistan 10.

Speaking Notes for Mr. Shipley on Expanding Trade between North America and Europe 11.

Speaking Notes for Mr. Shipley on Water Management in the OSCE Area 12.

Speaking Notes for Mr. Shipley on a Mediterranean Free Trade Area 13.

Speaking Notes for Mr. Shipley on Strengthening Efforts to Combat All Forms of Trafficking in Human Beings and Addressing the Special Needs of Child Victims 14.
Speaking Notes for Mr. Goldring on the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine Appendix 1 Speaking Notes for Senator Consiglio Di Nino Resolution on Afghanistan Colleagues, I remind everyone that this is not the first time I speak to you about this issue.

I presented a resolution on the same matter in 2006 which, with some amendme nts, passed unanimously, and raised the issue again last year during the Closing Plenary.
I firmly believe that a stable future for Afghanistan can reflect not only security and stability, but economic sustainability and respect for democratic principles as well.

For this future to be realised, the journey must be a full partnership between the Afghan people and government, and the international community.

This is in fact the key principle underlying the 2006 Afghanistan Compact.

And there is no room for half efforts.


The purpose of my resolution is to highlight the strengths and weaknesses, the successes and, if you will, where there is room for improvement in this partnership.

But it also continues my remarks from last year which focused on the lack of fulfilling commitments by some members of ISAF to share the burden and risks of combat in Afghanistan.
The lack of full commitment has broad implications, including jeopardising Afghanistan’s achievements and the long-term principles of collective security and world peace.

Let me mention a few of these accomplishments which Afghans have put in place in cooperation with international organisations and as a direct result of ISAF’s efforts: - in 2001 the children who attended schools were all boys; now, more than 6 million children attend school, more than 1/3 of whom are girls.
Schools are also being rebuilt, school supplies and learning materials are being provided, adult literacy programs are widespread and teachers are being trained, particularly female teachers.

- thousands of kilometers of roads and bridges have been either rebuilt or constructed, including in the rural areas.

Irrigation projects are on-going, as is communication development and electricity systems.
It should be noted that many of these projects have been deliberate employment projects, specifically cash for work programs that provide a source of income to some part of the Afghan population.

- more than 132 million square meters of land have been cleared of mines.

- progress has been made in establishing a professional army, the Afghan National Army (ANA), and a professional police force, the Afghan National Police (ANP).
- clean water supply per capita has almost doubled, there were only nine confirmed cases of polio in 2007 compared to 19 in 2006, the number of TB vaccines to children between 12 and 23 months has increased from 56.5% in 2003 to 70.2% in 2006, - there has been a steady decline in the infant mortality rate (3.5 per cent) and the maternal mortality rate (6.6 per cent).
Ladies and Gentlemen, Failure of this mission would mean such accomplishments would be lost and Afghanistan would return to the days when girls were forbidden from attending school.

This is the Afghanistan we must avoid returning to.

I once again remind you that Canada has the highest casualty rate in Afghanistan in proportion to its contribution.

Our public is rightly placed to wonder why we are carrying such a disproportionate burden.
This remains an issue despite the passage of a resolution by our House of Commons in March 2008 to extend Canada’s military presence in Kandahar, one of the most unstable regions in Afghanistan, until July 2011 (it otherwise would have ended February 2009).

It is an issue because the public demanded that certain conditions be met, including an increase in troop deployments to the Kandahar region on the part of our allies and a more equitable sharing of the risks.
Although this condition was arguably satisfied by the decisions taken in Bucharest by the NATO allies, I am very disappointed that many NATO members, also OSCE participating states, are not fairly sharing the military burden in one of t he most dangerous areas of Afghanistan.

This is a critical undertaking if we are to ensure that Afghanistan’s men, women and children will not continue to suffer unnecessarily.
Without a robust commitment, they will remain vulnerable to the very threats which we in the OSCE have identified as factors that contribute to international and regional instability and insecurity and have pledged to address, including terrorism, drug-trafficking, child labour, violation of the rights of women, corruption, etc.

Fuller and stronger involvement would certainly result in a shorter period of engagement and very likely the loss of fewer lives, from both Afghani and ISAF contributing states.
And we must recognise that a more peaceful and safer Afghanistan will result in a more peaceful and safer world.

My friends, this is not a meeting of NATO but many of the allies are also participating states of the OSCE and are present here.
Moreover, there are even a few states present who are not members of NATO, some of whom were recently told at the April 2008 NATO Summit in Bucharest that NATO membership could not yet be extended to them, and yet are contributing to the NATO-led ISAF mission and I especially thank them.
Please allow me to take advantage of the opportunity of such an important audience to ask that all of us recognise the unacceptable consequences of not fulfilling the commitments each has made towards the military and reconstruction needs of Afghanistan.

By agreeing to support this resolution, we must also pledge to pressure our governments to meet their commitments and make changes that will earn them the respect of future generations and not their disdain.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Failure in this critical mission is unthinkable.

The President of Afghanistan, Ha mid Karzai, in his address at the Afghanistan Support Conference that took place in Paris just a few weeks ago, reminded the world: “At the dawn of the 21st century, Afghan women had no rights to education, work or even health care.” The Afghanistan mission is still very dangerous and difficult and faces tough challenges.
The enemy ISAF faces is cruel, it does not lack courage, is very determined and committed.

It has allies within the Afghan population and will not be easily defeated.

And yet, I repeat, failure is unthinkable.

Only united can we succeed.

Thank you for your attention.


Appendix 2 Speaking Notes for Senator Consiglio Di Nino Supplementary Item on Encouraging Transparency in the Extractive Industries (United States of America – Benjamin Cardin) Fellow Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our colleague, Senator Cardin, on proposing this supplementary item and speak in support of it.
As a parliamentarian from a country with very active oil, gas and mining industries, nationally and globally, I believe that it is vitally important for the health of these industries and the companies actively engaged in them, whether Canadian or not, for greater transparency, particularly revenue transparency, to be promoted.
The highly lucrative nature of the extractive industries in developing countries with neither proper regulatory frameworks nor requirements for accurate revenue reporting makes them vulnerable to manipulation by self-serving small groups of individuals who are motivated by personal gain and profits.

Meanwhile, the general population continues to suffer from extreme poverty and a government system based on corruption.
As well, such behaviour on the part of these companies – private or public – taints the entire industry and affects investment trends.

In the end, those already impoverished find their station in life more hopeless because of the denial of funds that could otherwise be used to make positive changes.

This resolution points out what needs to take place in order to reverse this situation and to inject greater accountability, transparency and fairness, thereby reducing poverty and promoting democratic values.
Indeed, some of our fellow participating states, for instance Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic, have taken the first positive steps in this direction and have become candidate countries of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) referred to in the resolution.

Canada is a strong supporter of EITI, particularly as its companies would benefit from stable, predictable business environments that would be promoted.
At the same time, Canada sees the value of good corporate citizenship.

Last year it consulted broadly with the private sector and civil society to ensure that Canadian oil, gas and mining companies are held accountable and that their behaviour whether in Canada or abroad respects the values of accountability, transparency and fairness.

Indeed, Canadian companies have been noted for their leadership in the social and economic contributions they make.
For instance, Centerra Gold which is mining gold at the Kumtor mine in the Kyrgyz Republic has invested over $770 million since 1992 into the local infrastructure and economy, including the construction of a medical clinic, repairs to schools and building water systems.

In closing, I would like to add that this resolution is not about the extractive industry, but about promoting transparency and accountability, ultimately democratic values about which we at the OSCE PA are committed to promote.
Thank you for your attention.

Appendix 3 Speaking Notes for Senator Consiglio Di Nino Supplementary Item on the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine (Ukraine – Oleh Bilorus) Fellow Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to speak in support of this supplementary item.

The Holodomor is a tragedy not just for Ukraine but for the entire OSCE community.
It was perpetrated at a time when the OSCE did not exist, when the participating states had not yet begun to articulate the principles and norms about how states are expected to treat their citizens and to hold them to account when citizens are mistreated.

We are all present here as parliamentarians and as such we are vital agents in holding our governments accountable.

In adopting this resolution we renew our commitment to this responsibility.
And we also renew our commitment to the values of the OSCE, including preservation and promotion of human rights in the OSCE area.

The OSCE PA is considering this resolution at a time when it is looking forward, seeking ways in which the institution can be improved in order that we ourselves as parliamentarians can improve our capacity to carry out our responsibilities.
But, I feel that to move forward in a positive direction, we must give due consideration of events in our histories which have propelled us to where we are today.

By remembering the victims of this horrible famine, we are compelled to ensure that such similar atrocities are never repeated.
In closing, I am pleased to remind all who are present that, during the state visit to Canada of Ukraine’s president Viktor Yushchenko at the end of May 2008, the Parliament of Canada fast tracked legislation that establishes a Ukrainian Famine and Genocide ("Holodomor") Memorial Day in Canada and recognizes the Ukrainian Famine in 1932-33 as an act of genocide.
It follows a motion passed by the Senate of Canada in 2003 on the same issue, and joins other parliaments represented here who have also recognized the Holodomor.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let us together as the OSCE PA commemorate the 75 th anniversary of the Holodomor and adopt this resolution.

Thank you for your attention.


Appendix 4 Speaking Notes for Senator Consiglio Di Nino Supplementary Item on Recognising the Economic, Civic and Social Contributions of Migrants (United States of America – Hilda Solis) Fellow Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our colleague, Congresswomen Solis, on proposing this supplementary item and to speak in support of it.
Certainly we need to be realistic about the challenges and tensions that will initially arise among different cultures and values, between the migrant and established communities.

But we need to recognise such a period of tension as part of an evolutionary process, as a period of exploration and self-education among different groups that results in new understandings and connections.
Canada, with its unpleasant historical instances of the mistreatment of various migrant groups, is an example of this evolutionary process being experienced and the emergence of new, enriching relations among diverse groups.

I can attest to the enormous contributions made by those who chose Canada to build new lives for themselves and their families.
We have come from every corner of the globe, from every color of the human rainbow, from all cultural and religious backgrounds to forge together the world of tomorrow.

We have greatly enriched all aspects of Canadian life.

We have created wealth which has allowed better education, better health care, a higher standard of living for all and are helping to define tomorrow’s societies by integrating our customs, cultures and histories.
I am concerned about the experiences of some migrant communities who are isolated and at times prevented either by laws or social views from realising their full potential.

This is a lose-lose situation.

Our societies, economies and civic bodies would benefit tremendously if this untapped wealth of skills and experiences could be better accessed.
This resolution encourages us as parliamentarians to do more to embrace these new communities, in part by way of passing relevant legislation, promoting tolerance and creating policies that put words into practice.

It is our responsibility to uphold the values and principles of the OSCE, one of which is to respect the rights of migrants.

In the end we will all be the richer for it.

Thank you for your attention.


Appendix 5 Senator Consiglio Di Nino Speaking Notes for Closing Plenary During the deliberation of the 3rd committee in the afternoon of Monday, June 30th, we witnessed two spirited presentations on the OSCE PA’s recent engagement with CIS states and the OSCE PA’s relationship with ODIHR.

Strong critical comments were made by Mr. Bruce George and an equally strong defense by Mr. Alcee Hasting, as well as welcomed explanatory remarks by President Lenmarker.
I wish to place on the record my position on both of these issues in the hope of promoting a reasoned dialogue, leading to a better understanding of our organisation’s role, challenges and mandate.

As to our president’s mandate to President Emeritus Hastings to dialogue with member states who have expressed concerns and dissatisfaction with aspects of the operation of the OSCE PA I unequivocally extend my support.
The president has, in my opinion, both the moral and constitutional obligation to initiate constructive engagement with any and all participating states with the objective of lessening friction and misunderstandings and improving the effectiveness of the organisation.

This is an important – indeed critical - responsibility of the office of the President.
On the relationship between OSCE PA and ODHIR, from personal experience, I will defend the OSCE PA’s dissatisfaction with ODIHR’s treatment of our organization during election observation missions.

I have been part of the OSCE PA’s EOM team on several occasions of which at least 3 were difficult missions.

I was deeply dissatisfied with the lack of cooperation and unreasonable denial of information sharing from ODIHR’s part.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I have read what appears to be a position paper by Mr. Bruce George on the issues of election observation, the OSCE PA, ODIHR and Russia and am disturbed by the tone and by the accusations of collusion by the OSCE PA with the Russians to undermine ODIHR’s role in election observations.

I find Mr. George’s statements unnecessarily inflammatory and unhelpful.

I also do not agree with many of his positions.


Tempted as I am to respond in kind, I will restrain myself and make a few hopefully constructive remarks on how to resolve this unpleasant family dispute, which I suspect even Mr. George will not disagree with.

Mr. Chairman, this issue needs to be addressed and I don’t believe, given the time we have available, that this is the appropriate place to do that.
Unquestionably there are two sides to every dispute and both sides need to be fully heard with reasonable, constructive, factual arguments leading to an honourable resolution.

We must undertake this task to ensure that the OSCE family can continue to make a meaningful contribution to promoting solutions to conflicts and promote our universal principles of democratic governance, respect for human rights, and the rule of law.
I urge you and our new president to be elected tomorrow to reach to the ODHIR leadership in a spirit of trust and respect to jointly search for that honourable resolution which will allow both institutions to dedicate our creative energies to help resolve the difficult and critical issues existing within the sphere of interest of the OSCE and not waste these energies on family feuds.
Appendix 6 Speaking Notes for Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein Supplementary Item on Expanding Trade Between North America and Europe Fellow Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who supported my supplementary item and permitted it to be considered at this Annual Session.

I want to use the brief time that I have to highlight a few of the issues raised in my resolution in order to obtain your support and have it adopted by the delegates.
First, as you know, efforts at liberalising trade globally have stalled in recent years.

The lack of significant and comprehensive progress with the Doha Round of negotiations at the World Trade Organization is just one indication of this troubling state of affairs.

In the end we are left with many negative consequences for the free movement of products and services, including the persistence of trade barriers such as non-tariff barriers.
These ultimately affect all of us and our economic growth, whether we are members of the WTO or not.

Second, it follows that, as we consider different paths by which trade liberalisation can be advanced and our economic prosperity promoted, we might be naturally drawn to regional trade arrangements.
But, as beneficial as these may be, they risk entrenching trade blocs, or fortresses, if you will, at the expense of arrangements whose development otherwise corresponds more directly with the principles and objectives of liberalizing global, not regional, trade.

This last point is what I want to bring greater attention to through my resolution.
More specifically, a significantly large volume of trade in products and services occurs between the North American and European markets, in most instances at levels second only to the volume of intra-bloc trade.

Even so, these trade levels do not reflect the full potential that could be achieved.
Achieving their full potential is thwarted by several factors, including the on-going absence of harmonization of standards and the presence of regulatory barriers, the absence of any fully-energised transatlantic initiatives that address these barriers, and a prevailing attitude on both sides of the Atlantic that take these trade levels for granted while other emerging markets are aggressively pursued.
We can no longer disregard the potential positive impact of freer trade between North America and Europe on the liberalization of global trade.

To do so risks impeding progress towards the larger goal, and entrenching the current impasse.

Finally, we as parliamentarians have available to us the institutions and mechanisms by which the liberalization and subsequent enhancement of trade between North America and Europe can be enhanced.
As critical agents in such an endeavour, we would have to carry the burden and responsibility of any shortcomings that may otherwise result.

Thank you for your attention, and thank you in advance for your support.

Appendix 7 Speaking Notes for Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein Supplementary Item on Water Management in the OSCE Area Fellow Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who supported my supplementary item and permitted it to be considered at this Annual Session.
I want to use my time to highlight a few of the issues raised in my resolution in order to obtain your support and have it adopted by the delegates.

First, water management issues have a very short time frame from when they emerge as a concern to when they become a crisis.

Ladies and gentlemen, we find ourselves within this short time frame.

Indeed, many fellow participating states are very close to facing a crisis.
To emphasise even further, this Annual Session is being held in that region of the OSCE that is facing the most critical problems concerning access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

The evidence is just outside this hotel.

Second, this issue must be addressed at multiple levels of governance: local, sub- national, regional and international.

The problem and its consequences are not limited to a particular area or region and need to be considered accordingly.
The workshop organised by the OSCE Centre here in Almaty last year is a testament to the type of cooperative initiatives that this resolution seeks to draw attention to and encourage.

Third, but by no means least as I can speak to many themes raised by my resolution, I want to emphasise the multiple barrier approach to drinking water protection.
This involves more than physical elements to ensure clean and safe drinking water, such as protecting water at its source from contamination, water treatment and distribution systems.

It also involves regulatory safeguard practices such as management, monitoring, guidelines, legislative and policy frameworks among others.

The adoption of such practices will have multiple benefits.
These include ensuring cleaner and safer drinking water, but also more broadly the promotion of the OSCE’s principles of accountability and transparency, the theme of our Annual Session.

Thank you for your attention, and thank you in advance for your support.
Appendix 8 Speaking Notes for Senator Jerahmiel Grafstein Supplementary Item on a Mediterranean Free Trade Area Fellow Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who supported my supplementary item and permitted it to be considered at this Annual Session.
I sponsored this resolution because I firmly believe that promoting economic development and ties among countries in the Mediterranean space is a critical ingredient in the promotion of peace in the region, and which has been overshadowed by political overtures and security concerns.

Moreover, economic development in the region has been impeded by intra-regional trade barriers as well as by traditional inter- regional trade patterns that favour the Israel-Europe-North America axis.
The resolution does not commit us to supporting just any type of economic activity; it specifically considers those sectors that will have the greatest added-value to the region: a knowledge-based economy that will encourage even higher literacy rates and that will offer good jobs and pay high salaries; as well as agricultural development which is sorely inadequate for such a market as particularly evident in its dependence on cereal imports, especially at a time when the world is facing a food crisis of unknown consequences for the region.
This resolution focuses our attention on what can be achieved if we join together to promote this ambitious yet not impossible agenda.

It sets out initial, small steps, such as the creation of a Mediterranean Economic Commission and a Mediterranean Agricultural Marketing Board, that if agreed to and implemented would hasten the arrival of economic stability and, subsequently, facilitate progress towards freer trade and peace in the region.
The nations of the Mediterranean region are no less worthy of such aspirations than those in the OSCE.

Thank you for your attention, and thank you in advance for your support.

Appendix 9 Speaking Notes for Mr. Bev Shipley, M.P.

Supplementary Item on Afghanistan (Canada – Senator Di Nino) Fellow Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our fellow delegate, Senator Di Nino, on proposing this supplementary item and to speak in support of it.
In particular I would like to speak in support of the resolution’s call for greater OSCE involvement in Afghanistan.

The OSCE has much to offer.

As we all know, since the early 1990s when the OSCE began to develop more fully its comprehensive notion of security, it created a wide scope of tools and institutions, some of which were considered innovative, by which it would more actively advance the common security of the participating states.
Over time we have witnessed the OSCE build its repertoire of skills and expertise; indeed some of us have even directly contributed to this enterprise.

I have in mind in particular the contribution that the OSCE can make with respect to Afghanistan’s presidential election in 2009 and the parliamentary election in 2010.
We might well consider such a contribution in the form of pre -election preparation, as suggested in the proposed resolution, which as we all know, must begin now, not two months before the election takes place.

Moreover, we might especially consider organising OSCE PA election monitoring missions, thereby taking advantage of the unique expertise we bring to such an endeavour because of our roles as parliamentarians.

There is more than enough work to be done in Afghanistan.
Moreover, the OSCE and its scope of tools is not a competitor of the other organisations and institutions already active in the country.

As we all know, the OSCE complements their work, and we saw evidence of the advantages of such complementarity and the achievements that can be gained in the Balkans, with the OSCE working together with the UN and its family of agencies, NATO, and a wide array of NGOs.

In closing, Afghanistan is not a distant concern to the OSCE.
We are holding our annual session in one of the OSCE participating states, in a region of the OSCE that is directly adjacent to Afghanistan.

More emphatically, the host country of our Annual Session is the next member of the OSCE Troika because as well all know Kazakhstan is set to assume the Chairmanship in 2010.

This, ladies and gentlemen, coincides with the elections in Afghanistan and cannot but reinforce for us the need to become more involved in supporting Afghanistan’s democratization.
Afghanistan is the OSCE’s concern.

Thank you for your attention.

Appendix 10 Speaking Notes for Mr. Bev Shipley, M.P.

Supplementary Item on Expanding Trade Between North America and Europe (Canada – Senator Grafstein) Fellow Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our fellow delegate, Senator Grafstein, on proposing this supplementary item and to speak in support of it.
In particular I would like to provide you with some perspective on recent Canadian achievements which aim in part to realise the general objective of this resolution.

There are two items in particular: the January 2008 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Free Trade Association and the more recent 11 June 2008 Canada- France Joint Action Plan to Enhance Commercial Relations.
The Canada-EFTA Free Trade Agreement, for instance, removes tariffs in all-non- agricultural sectors such as aluminum, apparel products and cosmetics, as well as removes or reduces tariffs in selected Canadian agricultural and agri-food products such as durum wheat and Canadian crude canola oil.

Because of the easier access to our markets made possible through this agreement, the benefits to importers and exporters in these sectors on both sides of the Atlantic will be immeasurable.
The Canada-France Joint Action Plan sets out as its objectives in Canada-France economic relations for the next two years the following: stronger cooperation in areas relating to competitiveness, innovation and science and technology; support a closer economic partnership between Canada and the European Union; stronger institutional collaboration to benefit small and medium-sized enterprises.

More initiatives such as these will have a positive impact on enhancing trade between North America and Europe.
In closing, I would like to emphasise my support for this resolution and to encourage my fellow delegates to do likewise.

Thank you for your attention.

Appendix 11 Speaking Notes for Mr. Bev Shipley, M.P.

Supplementary Item on Water Management in the OSCE Area (Canada – Senator Grafstein) Fellow Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our fellow delegate, Senator Grafstein, on proposing this supplementary item and to speak in support of it.
I speak to you as a parliamentarian from a country that, despite the abundance of its water resources, has not been immune from water management issues.

Certainly the issues are not as severe in Canada as they may be in other areas of the OSCE, but this may change if we as parliamentarians do not commit ourselves to recognising the necessity for sound water management practices, to adopting the necessary practices, and to working together to achieve these objectives.
The proper management of this most vital resource without which life is unsustainable cannot be undertaken successfully by a sing le government, nor by a single level of government within a state.

We must be willing to learn from each other and to share our experiences.

Some of us are farther ahead in terms of a knowledge-base and technological expertise and it is incumbent that this knowledge and expertise be sought out and provided.
The resolution lays out the consequences to security and stability in the OSCE area if action is not undertaken soon.

These consequences may not affect all of us immediately, but they will affect us eventually.

Are we prepared to pay the costs of inaction?

Is not one of the guiding principles of the OSCE the prevention of conflict?

We have before us an opportunity to do exactly this: to commit to preventing conflict that may arise because of the scarcity of safe, clean water resources.
In closing, I would like to emphasise my support for this resolution and to encourage my fellow delegates to do the same.

Thank you for your attention.

Appendix 12 Speaking Notes for Mr. Bev Shipley, M.P.

Supplementary Item on a Mediterranean Free Trade Area (Canada – Senator Grafstein) Fellow Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our fellow delegate, Senator Grafstein, on proposing this supplementary item and to speak in support of it.
I want to focus on the significance of this resolution for addressing not only agricultural development in the Mediterranean region, but also the food crisis which is gripping newspaper headlines and which the Mediterranean population will experience sooner and in more dramatic ways that many of our citizens.

In this respect, it is incumbent on us to consider different ways in which such sources of tension and conflict can be reduced.
I agree with my colleague in the advantages that can be gained for the region with the establishment of a Mediterranean Economic Commission to in part guide the removal of trade barriers in the region as well as the establishment of a Mediterranean Agricultural Marketing Board that would remove the uncertainties of this sector, facilitate the growth of the industry and ultimately encourage employment.
At the same time, those initiatives that are already in place should not be dismissed; and this resolution draws attention to them, such as the American Middle East Free Trade Area Initiative and the Barcelona Process.

Certainly progress has not been easy, but neither should the participants lose sight of the end-goal: economic stability and prosperity in a region that is in need of it, and the positive impact on regional peace.
In closing, I would like to emphasise my support for this resolution and to encourage my fellow delegates to do likewise.

Thank you for your attention.

Appendix 13 Speaking Notes for Mr. Bev Shipley, M.P.
Supplementary Item on Strengthening Efforts to Combat All Forms of Trafficking in Human Beings and Addressing the Special Needs of Child Victims (United States – Christopher Smith) Fellow Delegates, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our colleague, Congressman Smith, on proposing this supplementary item and to speak in support of it.

I see this as an issue that involves all of our countries either as sources of trafficking, as recipients of trafficked persons, or both.
None are immune to the problem, and I include Canada, whether we want to admit it or not.

Because of this, we need to work together.

We need to be certain that any steps taken resonate with a larger effort, that they help those who need to be helped and do not merely shift the problem to someone else.

There is no integrity in short-sighted efforts.

In this respect I want to provide you with some perspective on some recent Canadian parliamentary activity on the theme of this resolution.
Specifically such activity tries to address the problem in a Canadian context in a way that doesn’t make it someone else’s problem.

The Senate Human Rights committee for instance is currently holding hearings on a Senate bill that was introduced just last fall and that is intended to provide assistance and protection to victims of human trafficking.
This Bill would allow for a victim who is a foreign national to be issued a protection permit to remain in Canada as a temporary resident, rather than be sent back to the home country, and very likely to a situation and circumstances that led to the victimization in the first place and a system lacking the necessary infrastructure and resources to stop the cycle of victimization.

In closing, I want to emphasis my concern regarding this problem and my support for the resolution.
As parliamentarians we are well-placed to protect the most vulnerable members of our societies and this resolution challenges us to fulfill our obligations.

Thank you for your attention.

Appendix 14 Speaking Notes for Mr. Peter Goldring, M.P.

Supplementary Item on the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine (Ukraine – Oleh Bilorus) Fellow Colleagues, I would like to join my fellow delegate from Canada and speak in support of this supplementary item.
The more than seven million who perished in Ukraine in this planned famine, the Holodomor, did not die from the ravages of nature nor the scourge of pestilence, nor by the obliteration of war, but by the hand of a dictator consumed with hatred.

Seventy-five years ago, the world took no action against such a tragedy.

There were no commemorations.


Since then, with every horrible incident of a people killed by their own government, we are painfully reminded of the high costs paid by future generations for past inaction against the horrors and genocides inflicted by the human race on itself.

By adopting this resolution and commemorating the Holodomor, we will take an important step forward in stopping this cycle.
We remember the victims of the Holodomor, of the dark side of humanity, and by remembering we help the world guard against those who would repeat such genocide.

I urge you to join me and others in supporting this resolution.

Thank you for your attention.