Turkmenistan officials discuss judicial re-training practices in OSCE Centre-organized visit to France

ASHGABAT, 11 May 2009 - Five high-ranking officials representing Turkmenistan's Supreme Court, General Prosecutor's Office, Justice Ministry and Education Ministry as well as the Institute of State and Law started a study visit to the National School of Magistrates ("Ecole Nationale de la Magistrature") in Bordeaux and Paris today.

During the four-day visit, organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in co-operation with the Embassy of France in Turkmenistan and the National School, participants will look into best practices in the OSCE area on training and re-training of judges and prosecutors with a focus on the French model.

"This visit is an important step in supporting Turkmenistan in its efforts to further advance the system of judicial re-training by discussing institutionalised systems of training judges and prosecutors," said Ambassador Arsim Zekolli, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

Christian Lechervy, the French Ambassador to Turkmenistan, said: "Thanks to this visit to France, a further step will be made in our co-operation with Turkmenistan, in the field of rule of law. This visit will give professionals from France and Turkmenistan the opportunity to enhance contacts and will contribute to a fruitful exchange of respective know-how and experience between teachers, judges and prosecutors."

The delegation will discuss the work and curriculum of the National School as well as its recruitment procedures and teaching methods. The programme of the visit also includes meetings with the Judicial Training Institute at the Faculty of Law in Bordeaux.

The visit is part of a long-term programme of co-operation between the OSCE and Turkmenistan aimed at strengthening the rule of law and administration of justice.

The study visit is financed by France.