22/06/2009 Session
Strasbourg, 22.06.2009 - In his opening address at the summer session, Lluís Maria de Puig said that he hoped the Assembly would adopt a resolution on Tuesday calling for the Belarusian parliament's Special Guest status to be restored. This was simply a first step and very strict conditions would be applied before even a second one could be contemplated, he said. Nevertheless, it was an “outstretched hand”, to the authorities and the opposition, both of whom would have the opportunity to take part in the Assembly's activities.
He was hopeful that this opening would bear fruit. The Assembly was expected to adopt an important resolution during this session, he said, establishing a new "Partner for democracy" status for some of the Council of Europe's neighbouring countries. As with the parliaments enjoying Special Guest status, he said, the Assembly already had excellent relations with the Algerian, Kazakh, Moroccan and Tunisian parliaments, and with the Palestinian Legislative Council. It was now time to formalise these relationships and give them a clear framework and still greater substance.