The second in a series of OSCE workshops focusing on tools for an effective reform of the legislative process was launched today in Ashgabad.

The two-day workshop is co-organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabad and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in co-operation with Turkmenistan''s Foreign Ministry and the National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan.

"We hope this workshop will contribute to a better understanding of the crucial role domestic mechanisms play in enabling government and parliamentary bodies to oversee the proper implementation of legislation," said Ambassador Arsim Zekolli, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabad.

Robert Adams, Head of the ODIHR''s Democratization Department, added: "This meeting will look at the importance of evaluating and consolidating legislation. It builds on the first workshop, held in last May, which focused on policy development, impact assessment and the mechanics of legislation."

The workshop, which is being extensively covered by local media, brings together government officials, parliamentarians and high-ranking civil servants from relevant state bodies involved in Turkmenistan''s law-making process and legal reform.