General policy of the Council of Europe

Recommendation 546 (1969)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 29 January 1969 (23rd and 24th Sittings) (see Doc. 2501, report of the Political Affairs Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 29 January 1969 (24th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Condemning all foreign interference in the domestic affairs of other states and its consequences with regard to the fundamental freedoms of the population;

2. Affirming that, in the light of the tragic events in Czechoslovakia and their aftermath, respect for sovereignty and observance of treaties and general principles of public international law, whatever the social and political systems in question may be, constitute the imperative condition of the maintenance, in the spirit of the United Nations Charter, of peaceful international relations;

3. Recalling that the Council of Europe remains open to all approaches which would support its desire to provide a framework for co-operation between Eastern and Western Europe, particularly in the technical fields;

4. Affirming that, in view of the events in the Mediterranean Basin and the Middle East, determined efforts should be pursued to hasten the opening of negotiations between the Israeli and Arab Governments, so as to prevent not only continued outbursts of local conflicts leading to an untenable situation, but even more, an extension of the conflict to other powers;

5. Deploring the recent executions of Iraqi citizens at Baghdad in a most distressing atmosphere of public rejoicing, which apart from their barbarity can only further inflame existing hostility between Arabs and Israelis,

6. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

a invite member governments to reaffirm in their contacts with the communist world the necessity of respecting the right of self-determination and the acceptance of the main principles of public international law;

b at the same time recall that, whilst compliance with the requirements of the Statute of the Council of Europe allows of no exceptions on the part of member states or of states which would like to become Members, those requirements do not debar states belonging to different political and social systems from co-operating in some of the Council's activities in other ways;

c encourage the Council of Europe by practical measures to play an increasing role in co-operation between all parts of Europe;

d appeal to the Arab States and Israel to consider together not only the best means of applying the United Nations resolution of 22 November 1967 but all the outstanding problems which, for twenty years, have prevented the establishment of real peace and of prosperity in that part of the world.