OSCE Secretary General congratulates new OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva

VIENNA, 3 July 2014 – OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today congratulated Ilkka Kanerva of Finland on his election as President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA).

“Illka Kanerva, as a former Foreign Minister of Finland and former Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this position and I look forward to working with the Parliamentary Assembly on the security challenges confronting the OSCE region,” said Zannier. “Finland has been a leading light at the OSCE ever since its inception and I welcome Kanerva’s stated ambition to recall the spirit of Helsinki as he takes up the helm of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.”

Kanerva is the longest-standing member of his national parliament, and also currently heads Finland’s delegations to both the OSCE and NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

He has served as Vice-President of the OSCE PA since 2013, and was elected President in a vote on the final day of the Assembly’s 2014 Annual Session in Baku.