"Many countries regard the OSCE as the key mechanism of assessing elections, therefore, we point to the necessity to discuss this mechanism. We suggest comparative analysis of election systems in the OCSE member-states and elaboration of exact criteria for OSCE missions," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the Itogi magazine.
"A mission often goes to some country, reports on certain violations and says that in spite of anything the elections are valid and everything is all right. Then the mission goes to some other country, reports on the same violation and claims that the elections should be invalidated," Mr. Lavrov noted.
"Today it is hard to say what criterion is used - quality of quantity... A subjective factor, the position of heads of OSCE missions, is playing a great role today," the Foreign Minister said.
According to him, Russia suggests that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the Commonwealth of Independent States and other organizations involved in the assessment of elections meet and exchange experience at some unofficial seminar or conference.
"In our opinion, if this work begins many drawbacks can be avoided. It is difficult to understand what criteria OSCE representatives used to assess the elections in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Afghanistan," Sergei Lavrov said.
