OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) President Goran Lennmarker has urged closer co-operation between the parliaments in Central Asia and the OSCE PA following a recent visit to the region.

The 27 April to 4 May trip included visits to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Lennmarker visited Turkmenistan in February.

This visit, which indicated the Parliamentary Assembly’s renewed focus on Central Asia, had three purposes to reconnect and intensify the OSCE PA’s co-operation with the Central Asian parliaments; to encourage and help facilitate greater regional parliamentary co-operation between the parliaments of Central Asia; and to support the important work of the OSCE field operations in the region.

"We in the OSCE PA strive to increase our focus on Central Asia. The countries in the region are equal members of the Parliamentary Assembly, and we need to hear their voices in our meetings," Lennmarker said. "We strongly believe in co-operation rather than isolation. Discussion is always preferable to silence."

Other signs of the OSCE PA’s focus on Central Asia include the choice of Kazakhstan to host next year’s Annual Session of the Parliamentary Assembly and the recent appointment of an OSCE PA Special Representative for Central Asia, Finnish parliamentarian and Central Asia expert Kimmo Kiljunen, who accompanied Lennmarker on the visit.

"Throughout the trip, we had productive and interesting discussions," Lennmarker said.

"We are encouraged that this trip will mean a revitalized relationship between the OSCE PA and national parliaments in Central Asia."