OSCE assembly says won't monitor Russia election

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's parliamentary assembly said it had rejected a Russian invitation to monitor a March 2 presidential election.

"We regret that circumstances prevent us from observing this election," assembly secretary general Spencer Oliver said in an e-mailed statement with an attached letter to Russia's State Duma (parliament) notifying it of the pullout.

The 56-nation OSCE's election watchdog and Russia earlier had a dispute over the size and scope of the OSCE's mission for the March 2 vote. The watchdog had said it will drop plans to observe the election if its conditions are not met.