Minister for Foreign Affairs Ilkka Kanerva (Nat. Coalition Party), speaking in his capacity as rotating chairman of the Organisation on Security and Cooperation In Europe, says that he hopes that Russia will "participate in a positive manner" in the arrangements for the OSCE's monitoring activities in the upcoming Russian Presidential election.
The OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is currently holding talks with Russian officials on arrangements for the monitoring effort.
On Wednesday, Kanerva briefed other government ministers on current issues related to the OSCE. He commented on the election monitoring situation after the meeting.
Russia has invited 70 EU monitors into the country, but has stipulated that they would be allowed to arrive only three days before the vote on the second of March. ODIHR feels that the schedule is too tight.
The organisation has sent Russia a letter proposing a longer monitoring period. ODIHR wants to send an advance team of 20 people to prepare for the operation, to be followed by 50 monitors the following week.
Kanerva would not say if any specific dates had been proposed to Russia.
Kanerva himself has also been in contact with Russia in recent days, but he does not yet know how Russia will react to the letter that was sent.
"The hope is that Russia would be involved in a positive way, and would indicate that there are no special problems with the elections. Monitoring is not intended as a harassment operation", Kanerva said.
