NEWS RELEASES
CANADIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN OSCE MISSION TO FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
December 20, 1996 No. 254
CANADIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN OSCE MISSION
TO FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced that Ron A. Gould, an
Assistant Chief Electoral Officer for Elections Canada, will be an advisor on the
high-level Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) mission to
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The mission, which is to arrive in Belgrade
today, will investigate the issues surrounding the Serbian municipal elections of
November 17 and the subsequent repeal of their results in certain municipalities.
"Canada's participation in this mission and the selection of Mr. Gould reflect our
internationally recognized expertise in democratic development and, in particular,
the role Canada has played in the region, such as in Bosnia, in the conduct of
democratic elections," said Mr. Axworthy.
The OSCE mission is led by former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez as the
"Personal Representative" of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. The mission will
include representatives from countries that comprise past, present and future OSCE
chairs, the EU Presidency troika, the United States and Russia. Serbian President
Milosevic invited the OSCE mission in response to the ongoing domestic and
international criticism over the annulment of the recent election results.
Protesters in Belgrade and elsewhere in Serbia are in their fifth week of large-scale demonstrations. They are demanding that the outcome of the elections, which
gave significant victories to opposition parties, be implemented.
Along with the announcement of Mr. Gould's participation in the high-level
mission, Minister Axworthy stated that "Canada remains concerned that opposition
candidates in Serbia have been deprived of their rightful place in local
councils." He indicated: "We hope that the mission will help the democratic
reform process within Serbia by clarifying the results of the local elections and
by ensuring that they are respected."
The Minister urges the Serbian government to co-operate fully with Mr. Gonzalez
and his delegation and to act on their recommendations.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Catherine Lappe
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
This document is also available on the Department's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
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