MOSCOW. Nov 12 (Interfax) - The Russian Central Election Commission is ready to provide visa assistance to OSCE observers who will conduct monitoring prior to and during the parliamentary elections, Igor Borisov of the Central Election Commission said.

"Like other Russian authorities that invited international observers, the Central Election Commission is interested in them arriving to Russia," Borisov told Interfax on Monday.

"However, as we all perfectly understand, visa procedures involve certain formalities which require some time," he said.

A number of media outlets reported that OSCE ODIHR spokeswoman Urdur Gunnarsdottir said that Russia was delaying visa issuance for observers, and it cannot be ruled out that the OSCE could cancel its monitoring mission.

"It is the Foreign Ministry, not the Central Election Commission who, establishes visa issuance rules. The CEC is already checking as to whether visas are actually being delayed as claimed by the OSCE official," Borisov said.

"We will try to clarify this situation and for our part will recommend speeding up the process of allowing entry to foreign observers," he said.