Seizure of hostages and the occupation of the United States Embassy in Teheran

Recommendation 883 (1979)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

See Doc. 4453, draft recommendation presented by the Bureau of the Assembly. Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 22 November 1979.

The Assembly,

1. Recalling the basic principles of the Council of Europe, whose Statute expresses in its preamble the conviction that the pursuit of peace based upon justice and international co-operation is vital for the preservation of human society and civilisation, as well as its devotion to the values of individual freedom, political liberty and the rule of law ;

2. Recalling that these principles have been implemented by the Council of Europe through the adoption of such international instruments as the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism ;

3. Considering that the protection of diplomats is an essential condition in international relations, and recalling in this connection the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, to which Iran is a party, and Resolution (74) 3 of the Committee of Ministers on international terrorism, as well as other texts of the Committee of Ministers calling for the protection of diplomats,

4. Welcomes and associates itself with the telegram addressed on 15 November 1979 by the President of the Assembly to the Iranian Head of State, expressing deep concern at the detention of the staff of the United States Embassy in Teheran, quoting Resolution 712 of 11 October 1979, in which the Assembly "expresses the hope that it will not be long before Europe is able to find in a democratic Iran a partner linked to her by shared principles of individual liberty, political freedom and rule of law" ;

5. Reiterates its past condemnations of all terrorist acts including hostage-taking, which regardless of their cause consist of calculated violence or threats of violence against innocent people ;

6. Deplores the continued occupation of the United States Embassy and detention of its occupants as contrary to the most elementary humanitarian principles, as well as violation of fundamental obligations under international law relating to diplomatic personnel and premises ;

7. Encourages all European governments to make plain their utter condemnation of such methods, and believes that the temptation to keep silence for reasons of immediate economic or political self-interest can only endanger the very fabric of international co-operation and peace ;

8. Urges the Iranian authorities to release the hostages forthwith, thus putting an end to a situation which risks seriously affecting the relations with Iran of all states respecting the rule of law ;

9. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers, as the organ responsible for the external relations of the Council of Europe, expresses at its current 65th Session its clear condemnation of this continuing situation, as well as its solidarity with those resisting such acts of international blackmail, in accordance with the principles subscribed to by the governments of all member states.