COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Committee of Ministers
The President
Rome, 5th November, 1950
Sir,
Following the oral communication which I had the honour to make to the Standing Committee of the Consultative Assembly, I am sending you herewith the text of the Resolutions adopted by the Committee of Ministers during the session held in Rome on 3rd and 4th November 1950 concerning the Recommendations selected by the Bureau of the Assembly from among the collection of Recommendations adopted during the August Session as being of particular urgency and importance.
Further, the Committee of Ministers considered a proposal submitted by the Turkish Representative concerning a decision of the Bulgarian Government threatening to expel in the near future 250,000 members of the Turkish minority in Bulgaria.
In addition, the United Kingdom Representative submitted to the Committee of Ministers a proposal recommending to the Consultative Assembly the adoption of a Declaration on Peace during its November Session.
The Resolutions adopted by the Committee of Ministers on the subject of these two proposals are also attached to this letter.
The Committee of Ministers also examined the other Recommendations transmitted to it by the Consultative Assembly.
It decided to defer until its next Session the detailed examination of the Recommendations on the co-ordination of European communications, agricultural policy and the multilateral Convention on the reciprocal treatment of nationals. It instructed the Secretary-General in the meantime to continue with further studies and preparatory work.
Further, the Committee of Ministers approved the Report of the Cultural Experts dated 30th June 1950. This Report covers for the most part the Recommendations adopted by the Assembly during its August Session.
The study of the other Recommendations of the Consultative Assembly has been deferred until the next session of the Committee.
Lastly, I have pleasure in informing you that the Committee of Ministers has authorised me to give to the Assembly, on the resumption of its Session, a detailed account of the work done by the Committee and to describe the spirit in which it was pursued. It will give me particular pleasure to carry out this decision of the Committee. When the time approaches, I will contact you further on this subject.
I am, Sir,
Your most humble and obedient Servant,
C. SFORZA.
M. P.-H. SPAAK,
President of the Consultative Assembly
of the Council of Europe.
Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
The Committee of Ministers decided to sign, during its meeting in Rome, the text of the Convention in the form adopted by the Committee during its session of August 1950, but added to it a Preamble based on the Assembly's proposals and accepting the amendment to Article 56 proposed by the Assembly.
As far as the other amendments proposed by the Assembly are concerned, since the Committee of Ministers was not able to reach agreement on them during the present session, it was decided that they should be submitted to a committee of experts for further study. If, following this study, agreement was reached, an additional protocol to complete the Convention might then be signed.
The Committee of Ministers, having taken note of the Recommendation of the Consultative Assembly relative to the creation of a European Army :
bearing in mind that decisions on matters of national defence do not fall within the scope of the Council of Europe,
notes the evolution of events and the various initiatives which have since then been taken,
and expresses the hope that the problem of the defence of free Europe may be satisfactorily dealt with in the near future by decisions of the Governments, and the competent international organisations.
The Committee of Ministers examined the Recommendation of the Assembly relating to amendments of the Statute and the general functioning of the Council of Europe.
The Committee recognised that the above Recommendations should be more carefully studied. To this end it invited the Governments to appoint senior officials with the necessary qualifications to meet together to examine the whole question. In the meantime, there was general agreement with the principles contained in the Assembly's Recommendations Nos. 121 and 123.
The Committee of Experts should complete its task before March 1st 1951. It will report to the Committee of Ministers who will then consult the competent authorities of the Assembly as to the best method to adopt.
The Committee of Ministers decided to transmit the Recommendations relating to the Coal and Steel Authority to the Governments of the six States concerned.
The Committee of Ministers welcomed the Assembly's Recommendation on full employment and decided to invite the Governments of Member States to provide the Secretariat-General, as far as they were able, and before 1st February 1951, with the information requested under paragraphs 5 and 7 of the Recommendation. The Secretary-General was instructed to undertake a study of the material he received and to make a compilation of it in consultation with the other international organisations dealing with the problem, in particular with the 0. E. E. C.
The Committee of Ministers approved the principle underlying the Assembly Recommendation relating to a European Code of Social Security and decided to instruct the Committee of Social Experts, due to meet in Strasbourg on 20th November next, to examine what methods should be employed to deal with the problem raised by the Assembly, taking into account the meeting arranged for 1951 by the I. L. 0. to study the same question.
The Committee of Ministers took note of the Recommendations of the Assembly on Refugee questions.
The Committee recognised the extreme urgency of this problem, and after hearing the statement by the Representative of the German Federal Republic recognised the need for the Council of Europe to take immediate cognizance of the problem and to consider what steps are necessary to deal with it.
The Committee invited the Governments concerned to supply the fullest possible information on the scope of the refugee problem, as it affects their own territory, including its connection with the related problem of population and emigration. The Committee agreed that the Secretary-General might recruit the necessary additional staff to enable him to analyse the results of this enquiry and advise the Committee as to what further action is necessary, including the financial implications.
The Committee of Ministers recommends to the Consultative Assembly that the following declaration might be issued in the name of the Council of Europe on the occasion of the Assembly's Session in November 1950.
At the close of its 1950 Session, the Council of Europe has reviewed the progress made during the year towards preserving the ideals of individual freedom, political liberty and the rule of law to which it is, by its Statute, dedicated. It has noted with satisfaction the many encouraging features that the year 1950 has to offer.
The Council of Europe believes that the principal feature of the year, which gives much encouragement now and is full of promise for the future, is the staunch spiritual resistance of the free peoples of Europe to the threats to their freedom. The year 1950 has been a turning point, when the free peoples of Europe rejected enslavement in the Communist system, and defeated all attempts to poison and destroy their democratic institutions from within. The European powers have shown their loyalty to the United Nations through their ready practical support of the action taken in Korea. They have thereby demonstrated their firm adherence to the cause of world peace. In every country the true aims and methods of Communist penetration and corruption of free institutions are being exposed. The Council of Europe has noticed with particular satisfaction that despite the greatest efforts and most explicit directions of the Cominform to their agents, the free peoples have refused to be deceived by specious appeals in the name of a false peace.
The Council of Europe rejects all appeals falsely cloaked in the name of peace, which are designed to serve the political interests and expansionist purposes of certain governments.
The Council will continue to labour in the cause of true peace, which is a spiritual condition based on mutual respect and confidence and which can only exist between individuals and between nations who are free and equal before the law. To this end they have drawn up and signed the Convention of Human Rights, to form a clear statement of those values upon whose basis alone men and nations can live in peace and friendship with one another. The Council affirms that these ideals alone can ensure the peace that all humanity desires, and pledges itself to preserve them by all means in its power.
The Council calls upon the Soviet Government and its satellites, who constantly declare their support of peace, to demonstrate that support by deeds as well as words, and by sincere and effective co-operation with other nations of the world. In particular the Council calls on these Governments to establish those conditions of intellectual, religious and political freedom within their own borders which alone will permit their peoples to join with the citizens of the free West on a basis of mutual understanding and friendship. On that basis the Council believes that there could be an opening of frontiers and a free flow of ideas throughout Europe.
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe,
Having heard the Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs and examined the notes exchanged between the Turkish and Bulgarian Governments,
Eschewing all legal examination which docs not come within its competence;
Considering that whatever the contractual arrangements which gave rise to the dispute between the two countries, which dispute would in its opinion be most equitably solved by a mutual agreement or if necessary by arbitration ;
Makes solemn protest against the claims of Bulgaria requiring the transfer of 250,000 human beings to Turkish territory within a period of 3 months ; particularly since this case illustrates a policy likewise practised by other Governments which, quite apart from its tragic human consequences, makes for uneasiness and misery in the economic life of the free countries of Europe;
Considers that in the interests of these populations no action should be taken by Bulgaria to deport these persons from their homes, and that no steps should be taken to dispose of their property until an equitable agreement on this emigration has been concluded between the two countries.