Written declaration
No.
507
| Doc. 12852
| 25 January 2012
- Signatories:
- Mr Patrick MORIAU,
Belgium, SOC ; Mr Pedro AGRAMUNT,
Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Jean-Marie BOCKEL,
France, EPP/CD ; Mr Mevlüt ÇAVUŞOĞLU,
Turkey, EDG ; Mr Agustín CONDE,
Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Gianni FARINA,
Italy, SOC ; Mr Andreas GROSS,
Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Mike HANCOCK,
United Kingdom, ALDE ; Ms Susanna HUOVINEN,
Finland, SOC ; Mr Tadeusz IWIŃSKI,
Poland, SOC ; Mr Jacques LEGENDRE,
France, EPP/CD ; Mr Philippe MAHOUX,
Belgium, SOC ; Mr Pietro MARCENARO,
Italy, SOC ; Mr Edgar MAYER,
Austria, EPP/CD ; Ms Nursuna MEMECAN,
Turkey, ALDE ; Mr Pasquale NESSA,
Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Fritz NEUGEBAUER,
Austria, EPP/CD ; Mr Yanaki STOILOV,
Bulgaria, SOC ; Mr Elkhan SULEYMANOV,
Azerbaijan, EPP/CD ; Mr Stefaan VERCAMER,
Belgium, EPP/CD
- Thesaurus
This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.
Since Bahrain’s independence in 1971, the country has made
considerable progress with regard to the construction of democratic
institutions. This evolution has been acknowledged by all observers.
The National Charter, for instance, represents a unique achievement
in the region.
However, during the months of February and March 2011, protest
movements have occurred and provoked violence and repressions.
The Bahraini authorities, on the initiative of King Hamad
bin Isa Al Khalifa, have launched a dialogue process that was boycotted
by the opposition. An independent inquiry committee has been set
up, under the direction of Professor Cherif Bassiani (former President
of the Commission of Inquiry on war crimes in the former Yugoslavia),
which is composed of eminent personalities.
Moreover, the influence of different border or neighborhood
states of Bahrain must not be underestimated and the instability
in the region can have dangerous consequences.
Therefore, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
should:
- encourage the authorities
and all those who strive for democratic dialogue in Bahrain
- call on the Bahraini authorities to make active use of
the experience of the Venice commission and to join the Venice Commission
- examine co-operation opportunities with the organs of
the Council of Europe and its institutions.
