Osce: Roberto Montella secretary general Parliamentary Assembly

(AGI) - Copenhagen, Jan 5 - Roberto Montella of Italy has begun service as secretary general of the Osce Parliamentary Assembly. He assumes the post following two decades of work in international politics, including in the governmental and parliamentary sides of the Osce, a statement said. "I have spent most of my career trying to build bridges between conflicting sides in South East Europe. I consider creating harmony and facilitating dialogue to bethe central pillar of my approach," Montella said. "As secretary general, I will strive to do the same. That means strengthening links, and forging new ones, between the Assembly and the OSCE's governmental side and with other international organizations. This is not a goal in itself, but a way to help our parliamentarians deliver concrete results to the 'end users' of the OSCE's products - namely, the citizens of OSCE area, and particularly those who live under difficult security situations." Montella has held various posts within the Osce Parliamentary Assembly's secretariat, most recently serving as Director of Presidential Administration. The Osce Standing Committee voted in favor of Montella at 2015 Annual Session in Helsinki, following a unanimous vote by the Bureau. He succeeds the Assembly's first Secretary General, Spencer Oliver of the United States. (AGI) .