Request by the United States of America for observer status with the Council of Europe

Recommendation 1282 (1996)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

See Doc. 7433, report of the Political Affairs Committee, rapporteurs: Lord Finsberg and Mr Bársony. Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 10 January 1996.

Thesaurus

1. The Government of the United States has made a formal request for observer status with the Council of Europe under the terms of Statutory Resolution (93) 26.

2. The request has been supported by leading members of the United States Congress. They have expressed an interest in strengthening dialogue with the Assembly.

3. The United States has close historical, cultural and political ties with Europe. In this century, it has contributed to the liberation and reconstruction of our continent, and to the preservation of peace and stability.

4. In this latter regard, a major contribution has just been made in the form of the recent Bosnian peace agreement.

5. The United States has signed and ratified Council of Europe conventions. It enjoys observer status with several intergovernmental and expert committees.

6. A delegation of Congress is already entitled to take part in the Assembly's annual debate on the activities of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

7. Dialogue with the Council of Europe has also been developed through the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE, ex-CSCE) and its Parliamentary Assembly.

8. The Assembly considers that the United States meets the requirements for observer status as set forth in Statutory Resolution (93) 26. It will give careful consideration in due course to the separate issue of appropriate status for the United States Congress

9. The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers grant observer status to the United States forthwith.