Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 75 together.

Observation of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia will be carried out by the OSCE, not by the European Union. The Union does not engage in election observation activities in OSCE participating states, of which Armenia is one. It would not, therefore, be appropriate to request additional resources for the EU delegation in Armenia for this purpose.

All OSCE participating states have committed themselves to inviting international observers from other OSCE participating states, the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, ODIHR, and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to their elections. The ODIHR deployed a needs assessment mission to Armenia from 30 January to 1 February to advise on the type, format, duration and scope of a potential election observation activity. The report of the needs assessment mission has recommended the deployment of an election observation mission according to the standard ODIHR methodology, contingent on the receipt of an official invitation from the Armenian authorities. The ODIHR has been informed by the authorities that a timely invitation will be forthcoming once the election has been formally announced.

In its needs assessment mission report the ODIHR recommends that the election observation mission include a core team of experts, 24 long-term and 250 short-term observers. As with all such missions, Ireland and the other OSCE participating states will be in a position to nominate observers for deployment with the mission.

Ireland has full confidence in the ODIHR's election observation methodology which reflects the highest international standards for election observation, based on the principles of independence, impartiality and professionalism.

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