26th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Minsk

MINSK, 10 July (BelTA) – Head of the Delegation of the United States of America to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Chairman of the Helsinki Commission Sen. Roger Wicker praised the high level of organization of the OSCE PA Annual Session in Minsk in an interview with the Belarus 1 TV channel on 9 July, BelTA has learned.

“Belarus has made considerable efforts to ensure a high level of organization of the session. I think that all the representatives of the OSCE member states are impressed and grateful for this,” Roger Wicker noted.

He took positive note of the attention paid by the Belarusian colleagues and the welcoming attitude and hospitality of the Belarusian people he met during the session. The U.S. delegation will return home with the best impressions of the OSCE PA session and share them with their colleagues. “We will talk about the need for further visits to Belarus,” Roger Wicker said.

The U.S. congressman said a few words about the meeting of the U.S. Congress delegation with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 6 July. He noted that the Belarusian head of state invited them to attend a military exercise in September. “He assured us that observers, us included, will be welcome. I hope we will be able to visit Belarus more frequently and that more Belarusians will be visiting the United States,” Roger Wicker added.

The OSCE PA session culminated with the adoption of the Minsk Declaration on 9 July. Roger Wicker was elected as one of the four vice-presidents of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.