#5
Russia to lead world in democratic elections
ITAR-TASS
St Petersburg, November 25: The Convention on standards of free democratic elections, adopted on Saturday [24 November] by the Interparliamentary Assembly of CIS member states, will place Russia and the CIS in the lead of drafting international election standards, chairman of the Russian Central Election Commission Aleksandr Veshnyakov told ITAR-TASS in an exclusive interview on Saturday.
"The Assembly generated a serious precedent, a very good example of international legal regulation for the entire world. At long last, Russia and the CIS, apart from adopting rules, worked out by other states, will initiate such rules," the chairman noted.
Veshnyakov claimed that when the document comes into force, international analysts will be unable to fetch up political reasons, while appraising conformity of elections in countries where the Convention operates, to international standards.
Multiplicity and controversial nature of OSCE norms in legal regulation of elections encourages carelessness and ambiguity of critical evaluations, instead of referring to specific norms and articles.
The Convention has an item where the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly recommends the council of the heads of state to examine the convention and to sign it. The signing should be followed by ratification if it is provided for by laws of appropriate countries.
"In my opinion, there is a possibility that the CIS heads of state will sign the Convention at their next meeting on November 30." But there is not much time left. "In any case, this should happen no later than at the following meeting of the heads of state in May 2002," Veshnyakov noted.
When the Convention is ratified by three states, it will come into force, that is most probably the document will become operable in 2002.
Next Article