- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 24 and 25 April 1975 (7th and 8th Sittings) (see Doc. 3609, report of the Committee on European Non-Member Countries). Text adopted by the Assembly on 25 April 1975 (8th Sitting).
The Assembly,
2. Recalling the wish of the Portuguese Government, expressed before the Assembly on 28 September 1974 by its Minister for Foreign Affairs, to intensify technical co-operation with the Council of Europe and to seek full membership after a parliament has been elected ;
3. Hoping that incidents and measures which are inconsistent with democratic principles will cease, and that the original programme of 25 April 1974 of the Armed Forces Movement will be fully implemented, which stipulates that supreme authority shall henceforth be exercised by the freely elected Assembly, and that independence of the judiciary, as well as the freedom of speech, thought, assembly and association will be recognised and guaranteed,
4. Strongly urges the governments of the Council of Europe member states to show greater practical solidarity with the democratic forces among the Portuguese people who have inherited many grave problems from forty-eight years of oppressive dictatorial rule ;
5. Considers in particular that member governments, whether through the Council of Europe, OECD, EEC or EFTA, ought to take immediate steps to provide Portugal with the substantial administrative, technical and economic assistance it so urgently requires ;
6. Welcomes the decision taken by the Committee of Ministers on 17 April 1975 to instruct "their Deputies to work out the modalities of cooperation between Portugal and the Council of Europe as soon as possible in the light of the practical needs manifested by the Portuguese authorities", and expresses the hope that such an aid programme will be adopted and put into operation as rapidly as possible ;
7. Looks forward to the moment when the freely elected representatives of the Portuguese people will have adopted a new democratic constitution including such basic principles as the free election of a fully sovereign parliament and the rule of law, including respect for human rights, thus opening the way for membership of the Council of Europe.
