No OSCE monitors for Duma elections

MOSCOW, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Europe's lead election monitoring group said Friday it will not send observers to Russia to oversee the State Duma elections Dec. 2.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights said "delays and restrictions" prompted the decision, the Interfax news agency said Friday.

"In a letter to the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC), ODIHR Director Ambassador Christian Strohal expressed regrets but said that due to delays and restrictions ODIHR would be unable to carry out its mandate," OSCE said in a statement published on its Web site.

Russian diplomats downplayed the incident, telling the Russia's press agency RIA Novosti they will not "dramatize the decision" and emphasized, "The elections will take place and will show a stronger democracy in Russia."