30/01/2013 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC), Chair of the PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy and rapporteur on the Middle East, has called on the Israeli government to reconsider its decision to boycott the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and suspend its relations with the UN Human Rights Council. The UPR is a mechanism whereby the Human Rights Council reviews the human rights records of all UN member states.
14/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Strasbourg, 14.12.2012 – The Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy meeting today in Turin has declassified an introductory memorandum on the evaluation of the partnership for democracy with the Parliament of Morocco on the basis of a report by Luca Volontè (Italy, EPP/CD).
14/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Strasbourg, 14.12.2012 – In adopting in Turin today a draft resolution on the activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in 2010-2012, based on a report by Tuur Elzinga (Netherlands, UEL), the committee congratulated the EBRD on its new system for evaluating transition in the reference countries.
14/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Strasbourg, 14.12.2012 - The draft resolution adopted today in Turin, based on a report by Björn Von Sydow (Sweden, SOC), stresses the need for the Council of Europe to maintain direct working relations with the Kosovo authorities at all levels in order to ensure due implementation of the Council of Europe co-operation activities.
13/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
The human rights and democratic values at the heart of the European project represent “supra-national” common interests which all states must respect, PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon has said, opening a major conference today in Turin on human rights and foreign policy. The conference, organised by PACE in co-operation with the Italian Senate’s Human Rights Committee and the Italian Chamber of Deputies, brings together over 100 participants.
13/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
A step towards encouraging more human rights in European foreign policy was agreed today in Turin when key committees in up to 47 national parliaments agreed to meet on an institutional basis to promote the issue.
03/12/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
All too often, human rights become part of foreign policy considerations only when situations have degenerated into humanitarian emergencies. Can human rights become a structural and systematic element of foreign policy so that, without neglecting any emergency that may arise, a medium to long-term approach can be developed in order to pre-empt the use of force through political action?
30/11/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Pietro Marcenaro (Italy, SOC), PACE rapporteur on the Middle East, has welcomed yesterday’s vote in the UN General Assembly recognising Palestine as a non-member observer state. “The vote was a strong indication of the international community’s support for a two-state solution,” said Mr Marcenaro. “
23/11/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco, EPP/CD), PACE rapporteur on political transition in Egypt, today expressed concern at the decree passed yesterday by President Mohammed Mursi of Egypt. “With this decree, Mr Mursi is effectively granting himself sweeping powers.The very positive role that he played in securing a cease-fire in Gaza cannot serve as an excuse for undermining democracy, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.”
21/11/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Andres Herkel (Estonia, EPP/CD), PACE rapporteur on Belarus, has expressed his dismay that the “Viasna” human rights centre in Minsk has been ordered to vacate its office by 27 November, following a year of obscure legal procedures which transferred ownership of the apartment in which the office is located to the state.
16/11/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
“I listened to the concerns of the Serbian authorities and I reminded them of the need to ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law for all people of Kosovo*, also through the activities and the programmes of the Council of Europe” said Björn von Sydow (Sweden, SOC), PACE rapporteur on the situation in Kosovo, at the end of his two-day visit to Belgrade on 15-16 November.
13/11/2012 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Björn von Sydow (Sweden, SOC), PACE rapporteur on the situation in Kosovo*, will make a fact-finding visit to Belgrade on 15-16 November 2012, in the framework of the preparation of his report. During his visit, he is due to meet the Speaker of the Serbian Parliament, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and the Foreign Minister...