Events in the Balkans and Central Asia rank prominently on the autumn agenda for Freimut Duve, media representative for the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Duve offered details about his fall schedule in a speech July 16 before the OSCE Permanent Council, assembled in Vienna.

After the elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which are set for September, there will be a round table discussion to assess the work of institutions and agencies on media issues in Bosnia, Duve said. The OSCE mission in Bosnia will cooperate with Duve to organize the event.

OSCE has given priority this year to preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution in Central Asia. Duve said he will visit the region, and during the trip he intends “to stress in Central Asia the challenge for democracy of the role of religion and the necessity of freedom.”

In April, the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group conducted a seminar in Minsk on the media situation in Belarus, which Duve attended. On a recent visit to Croatia, Duve gained insights into the conditions under which that country’s media operate. He said he identified three issues that hinder the development of free and independent Croatian media: a distribution system described as having close links to the state, numerous libel and defamation suits officials have filed targeting the news media, and the difficulties Croatia’s independent electronic media face as they attempt to compete with their state-owned counterparts.

In addition, as part of a continuing effort to collaborate with nongovernmental organizations, the OSCE media representative’s office will participate in media seminars that the International Press Institute is organizing in Bulgaria and Romania, Duve said.

The position of OSCE representative on freedom of the media was created in November 1997 to observe relevant media developments and provide rapid response to serious noncompliance with OSCE principles and commitments by participating states in respect of freedom of expression and media. The office is in Vienna. Tel: (43-1) 512-21-45/12. Fax: (43-1) 512-12-45/9. E-mail: sschrager@osce.org. Web site:http://www.osce.org/inst/medrep/medrep.htm>