OSCE Review Conference in Istanbul, 8-10 November

VIENNA, 5 November 1999 -- On Monday, 8 November, the 1999 OSCE Review Conference in Istanbul will open at the Ciragan Palace. The main purpose of the Conference is to review OSCE activities, including implementation of OSCE commitments, in preparation of the OSCE Istanbul Summit (18-19 November). The Conference will also follow up on other issues discussed during the Review Conference in Vienna which was held 20 September to 1 October.

On the agenda of the Review Conference in Istanbul are addresses by the following persons:

• OSCE Secretary General Jan Kubis
• Claude Nicolay, Member of the ODIHR Advisory Panel for the Prevention of Torture
• Olara Otunnu, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
• Danuta Huebner, Deputy Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

The Review Conference will be followed by the Summit Preparation Meeting 11-17 November.

Apart from representatives of OSCE participating States, the OSCE's Partners for Co-operation (Japan and the Republic of Korea) and Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia), participants will include representatives of other International Organizations (among others, the United Nations, International Committee of the Red Cross, Council of Europe) as well as NGOs from across the OSCE region.

The formal opening of the Review Conference as well as the closing session will be open to the press. Other possible media events will be announced.

OPENING SESSION - 8 November Time: 10:00 - 13:00 Place: Ciragan Palace (Hotel Kempinski), Istanbul

CLOSING SESSION - 10 November Time: 15:00 - 18:00 Place: Ciragan Palace