Letters on the assumption of duties of Peter Lord Bowness as OSCE PA President

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Tordenskjoldsgade 1, 1055 Copenhagen K., Denmark
Phone: +45 33 37 80 40 - Fax: +45 33 37 80 30 - osce@oscepa.dk - www.oscepa.org
The Secretary General
To:
Members of the OSCE PA Standing Committee
Members of the OSCE PA Bureau
Copenhagen, 14 December 2020
Dear Members of the Bureau,
Dear Members of the Standing Committee,
Dear Friends,
As you may know, President George Tsereteli was not re-elected to the Georgian Parliament
during the 31 October elections, and, following last Friday’s first convocation of the new
Parliament, also his mandate as OSCE PA President has come to an end.
According to Rule 5-8 of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Rules of Procedure: “The Vice-
President who has obtained the highest number of votes among the Vice Presidents with
greatest length of service, and, at a parity of votes, the eldest of them, may act as President
when the latter is unable to exercise his or her functions, until the Assembly elects a successor.”
Based on records maintained by the International Secretariat, Peter Lord Bowness is currently
the Vice-President with the greatest length of service. I have therefore written to Vice-President
Lord Bowness, asking that he assumes the office and acts as President until the next OSCE PA
Annual Session in July 2021.
I wish to thank George Tsereteli for his tireless work and leadership throughout the last years –
the longest serving leader in the history of the OSCE PA, including as President, and express
him my deepest gratitude for the unmatchable efforts he has made for our Assembly. Together
with all my colleagues at the International Secretariat, I now look forward to serving under the
new leadership of Lord Bowness and will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of all OSCE
parliamentarians.
Yours sincerely,
Roberto Montella
Secretary General
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2020-21
OSCE Alm.del - Bilag 13
Offentligt


The President
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Tordenskjoldsgade 1, 1055 Copenhagen K., Denmark
Phone: +45 33 37 80 40 - Fax: +45 33 37 80 30 - osce@oscepa.dk - www.oscepa.org
To: Heads of OSCE PA Delegations
Members of the OSCE PA Bureau
11 December 2020
Dear Colleagues,
Dear Friends
As you know, Georgia held parliamentary elections on 31 October 2020. The ensuing
political crisis has led opposition parties to refuse to enter parliament. Unfortunately, as a
member of this political alliance, I must follow this agreement and, as a consequence, I will
cease to be Member of Parliament from today.
It has been an honour to carry your voice as your President for the past three years, and
as a Vice-President for the five years prior. I want to thank you all for your friendship, for our
rewarding discussions and debates, the important decisions we have taken over the years, and
for your sincere commitment to the work and values of the OSCE. I also thank you for your
trust, your personal support, and your encouragements, which I have been privileged to enjoy.
Throughout these years, I have also been grateful for the excellent support and advice I have
received from staff at the OSCE PA International Secretariat.
I have conferred with Secretary General Roberto Montella in recent weeks to ensure
that a smooth presidential transition takes place. I would like to use this occasion to wish my
successor, Peter Lord Bowness, every success in guiding our Assembly until the Bucharest
Annual Session next July.
I am proud that over the past three years, we have continued to build honest and strong
collaboration with the other parts of our Organization. In Vienna, we continue to enjoy
excellent working relations with the Chairmanship and Delegations, the Secretariat and Field
Operations, as again demonstrated throughout this year by regular participation in virtual
events. Despite the current situation, we have forged stronger partnerships with the
Representative on Media Freedom, the High Commissioner on National Minorities, and the
Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. I am convinced that under their new
leadership, the OSCE PA will further consolidate these strategic partnerships to benefit all
OSCE citizens.
As President of this Parliamentary Assembly, it has been one of my goals to upgrade
the visibility of the Assembly, not only within the OSCE but also on the international scene.
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2020-21
OSCE Alm.del - Bilag 13
Offentligt
The President
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Tordenskjoldsgade 1, 1055 Copenhagen K., Denmark
Phone: +45 33 37 80 40 - Fax: +45 33 37 80 30 - osce@oscepa.dk - www.oscepa.org
Today, we can rely on valuable working relationships with strong and credible actors in the
international arena, including the United Nations, European institutions, and our
interparliamentary partners. Our Assembly remains engaged throughout the OSCE region,
including through strong transatlantic ties and our excellent partnership with the U.S. Helsinki
Commission. Beyond the OSCE’s borders, we remain eager to extend our hands to Partners in
Asia and the Mediterranean.
In these times of pandemic, we have found innovative ways to remain active and
functional. Within the PA, we have opened new areas of work and expertise: our committees
continue their excellent work, while we can also count on Special Representatives dealing with
civil society, anti-corruption, or disinformation. I have aimed to promote greater gender
equality in our Assembly, including through these appointments, leadership for election
observation missions, or the filling of vacancies in the Bureau.
Together with the International Secretariat and the Assembly’s leadership, we have also
strived to update our Rules of Procedure and modernize the work of the Assembly in an
inclusive way. I hope this work will be completed soon with your support.
Overall, I believe that our Parliamentary Assembly is much better placed today to
contribute to the overarching goals of the OSCE, and that your time is used in a much more
impactful way. This has reinforced the standing of the OSCE PA as a unique forum for
principle-based dialogue and co-operation between our countries.
My presidency ends as our Assembly continues to deal with numerous challenges and
urgently needs to address global crises, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, armed
conflicts, growing threats to democracy and human rights, climate change, radicalization and
terrorism, and large-scale human migration. I encourage you to continue your hard work to
pursue our unfinished agenda and safeguard the fundamental values and principles of the
OSCE.
Even outside of parliament, you can rest assured of my full and unwavering support for
the work of the Parliamentary Assembly and the mission of the OSCE. Considering the
unprecedented leadership crisis that has affected our Organization during the second half of
2020, it remains urgent that we generate high-political interest in favour of the OSCE in all
participating States. To that effect, I encourage you all to support our “OSCE Call for Action:
Reaffirming a Common Purpose,” which we presented on the margins of last week’s OSCE
Ministerial Council.
The President
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Tordenskjoldsgade 1, 1055 Copenhagen K., Denmark
Phone: +45 33 37 80 40 - Fax: +45 33 37 80 30 - osce@oscepa.dk - www.oscepa.org
I look forward to carrying on with our meetings and conversations in a different
capacity, and to assist you and my successors to achieve the goals for which we have fought
together as a team.
I wish you happiness and good health this Christmas and holiday season, and all the
best in the coming year.
Yours sincerely,
George Tsereteli


The President
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Tordenskjoldsgade 1, 1055 Copenhagen K., Denmark
Phone: +45 33 37 80 40 - Fax: +45 33 37 80 30 - osce@oscepa.dk - www.oscepa.org
To: Heads of OSCE PA Delegations
Members of the OSCE PA Bureau
12 December 2020
Dear Colleagues,
I want to thank President George Tsereteli for his dedication to the OSCE PA and the
OSCE. He has been unstinting in giving time and work to our affairs. Political life is full of
uncertainties, but we can be sure President Tsereteli will very much be missed by our
Assembly.
The Rules determine that I follow him as President, but I know that I shall not be able
to equal his extraordinary commitment.
Although I have not sought the position of President, I am honoured to assume the
office and I will carry out the duties of the President to the best of my ability with the assistance
of colleagues and the International Secretariat.
We do not know when we shall return to normal working, but we must have objectives
for the period up until the assumption of office of a new President in July 2021.
Most important is to ensure that in July 2021, if we are unable to meet in person, we
must have the decisions and technology in place to have remote elections for the President,
Officers, and Committee Officers. I look forward to the Standing Committee approving the
Bureau’s recommendations in the virtual Winter Meeting to ensure this happens.
I will not be a candidate for President at the election, whether in person or remotely. In
July 2021, the Assembly must have a new President and Bureau and I will do my best to hand
over the Assembly in good order and without any commitments, which should rightly belong
to the new President.
In these difficult times before the return to normality, the Bureau may meet with greater
frequency between now and July 2021 so I may have the advice of Colleagues and any political
positions adopted. To keep Delegations informed, additional meetings of the Standing
Committee may be called.
OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2020-21
OSCE Alm.del - Bilag 13
Offentligt
The President
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Tordenskjoldsgade 1, 1055 Copenhagen K., Denmark
Phone: +45 33 37 80 40 - Fax: +45 33 37 80 30 - osce@oscepa.dk - www.oscepa.org
It is important that the high profile of the Assembly is maintained, and the time should
be used to establish close contacts with the new OSCE executive officers. The online meetings
of the Bureau and the Standing Committee can provide these opportunities.
Having been involved in our Sub-Committee on Rules of Procedure and Working
Practices for a number of years, I will work with Ambassador Nothelle to bring to our Annual
Session a set of revised rules for possible adoption in Bucharest. Ambassador Nothelle has
already undertaken a lot of work, which when complete needs to be shared and discussed with
the Assembly leadership before any submission of adoption.
I am conscious of bearing a great responsibility as President of the Assembly and I
look forward to working with you all and for your support and assistance.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Lord Bowness