Recent political events (related to the Vienna Summit, 8-9 October 1993)
Recommendation 1220
(1993)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 29 September 1993 (48th and 49th Sittings) (see Doc. 6917, report of the Political Affairs Committee, Rapporteur: Mr Schieder). Text adopted by the Assembly on 29 September 1993 (49th Sitting).
- Thesaurus
2. It welcomes the support given to these proposals by several governments, but expresses its
dissatisfaction with the interim reply to its recommendation adopted by the Committee of Ministers'
Deputies on 10 September 1993.
3. The Assembly insists that its proposals receive proper answers and recalls that its President has
been invited as a participant to the summit.
4. The lack of progress towards agreement on a binding legal instrument for the protection of national
minorities is a matter of grave concern. Member states which have reservations should not prevent
others from obtaining such a legal instrument.
5. In this respect, the Assembly notes that statutory Resolution (93) 27 on majorities required for decisions of the Committee of Ministers provides that "decisions on the opening for signature of conventions and agreements concluded within the Council of Europe shall be taken by a two-thirds majority of the representatives casting a vote and a majority entitled to sit on the Committee, as set out in Article 20.d of the Statute".
6. Unsolved problems directly affecting member states continue to exist, such as the Cyprus issue.
These should be solved in full conformity with the principles of the Council of Europe.
7. As regards the events in the former Yugoslavia, the Assembly continues to support the efforts of
the co-Chairmen of the international peace conference, Lord Owen and Mr Stoltenberg.
8. The Assembly considers that Croatia, whose parliament enjoys special guest status, and which has
requested membership of the Council of Europe, is under a special obligation to do its utmost to
enable a peaceful and speedy solution to the crisis.
9. It equally expects the Caucasian states - Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia - whose parliaments have requested special guest status, to put an end to their respective armed conflicts, which constitute
a serious threat to the stability of our continent, and to co-operate with the United Nations and the
CSCE to find peaceful solutions.
10. Democratic reforms in Russia should continue and the Assembly therefore supports President
Yeltsin's decision to hold free parliamentary elections in December 1993. Such elections are an
essential precondition for Council of Europe membership.
11. In view of the recent turmoil in Russia and a new geopolitical division of Europe, the Assembly
recommends the drawing up of more definite guidelines for the withdrawal of foreign military forces
from the Baltic States (Latvia and Estonia) so as to secure normal democratic and economic
development in that region.
12. The Assembly considers that it should be a precondition for all states that wish to have any form
of co-operation with the Council of Europe to show a clear political commitment to the peaceful
settlement of disputes.
13. The Assembly therefore urges the Committee of Ministers to:
b open, as soon as possible, for signature, an additional protocol to the European Convention on
Human Rights on the rights of national minorities;
c take into account the above considerations when preparing the draft political declaration for the
summit.
