OSCE EXPERTS DISCUSS FREEDOM OF SPEECH








MOSCOW, March 12, 2001. /From RIA Novosti correspondent/. 


	The Vienna-based OSCE headquarters houses an expert conference entitled, Freedom of Speech: New and Existing Challenges, reports the Russian foreign ministry.


	Official spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry Alexander Yakovenko, who heads the Russian delegation at the conference, explained Russia's position on the ways of strengthening freedom of speech in the effort to achieve the goals set by the OSCE in the sphere of its responsibility. He also elaborated on Moscow's opinion about the ways Europe could use its potential to secure the rights of national minorities in the information sphere.


	Yakovenko stressed the importance of media in the effort to resist international terrorism, extremism and neo-Nazism, which pose new threats and challenges to European security.


	The Russian side pointed out that OSCE members needed to step up their effort to provide against Internet propaganda of violence and national discord.