20/10/2005 | Political Affairs and Democracy
The concept of preventive war, transatlantic relations and UN reform are among topics to be discussed during a series of meetings between the Parliamentary Assembly's Political Affairs Committee and Canadian parliamentarians and foreign policy experts in Ottawa on 24 and 25 October 2005. The parliamentarians will meet Canadian former Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, and Canada’s former ambassador to the United Nations Paul Heinbecker. They will also hold an exchange of views with Canadian Minister for International Co-operation Aileen Carroll on promoting democracy and good governance.
13/09/2005 | Political Affairs and Democracy
After a discussion of the draft report on "The need for international condemnation of the crimes of communism" (Göran Lindblad, Sweden, EPP/CD) in Paris today, the Political Affairs Committee of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) decided to postpone the adoption of the draft recommendation and resolution to a future meeting. The President of the Committee will therefore ask the PACE Bureau to withdraw this item from the draft order of business for the October session (Strasbourg, 3-7 October). Considering that the report on "The condemnation of the admiration and justification of nazism" (Mikhail Margelov, Russia, EDG) should be debated at the same time as the report presented by Mr Lindblad, the Political Affairs Committee decided to postpone the adoption of the draft resolution of Mr Margelov's report.
21/04/2005 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Mikhail Margelov (Russia, EDG), PACE rapporteur on the situation in the Middle East, is visiting Amman, Ramallah, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv from 17 to 22 April, where he is due to meet the King of Jordan and members of the Jordanian parliament, Palestinian ministers and Israeli government officials.
15/03/2005 | Political Affairs and Democracy
A Round Table on the political situation in the Chechen Republic ended yesterday with a decision to hold similar meetings with the aim of “broadening the basis for the dialogue” needed to achieve a political solution. Around sixty people – including Chechen President Alu Alkhanov, representatives of Russian human rights NGOs and parliamentarians – took part in the day-long Round Table, but in line with the so-called “Strasbourg criteria” those who refuse to recognise the territorial integrity of Russia and declared terrorists were excluded. The Chair and Co-Chair of the organising sub-committee Andreas Gross and Konstantin Kosachev regretted that some invitees had decided not to come at the last moment, but said the talks marked “a first step”.
23/02/2005 | Political Affairs and Democracy
Following consultations, a Round Table for the organisation of an exchange of views involving political parties and local politicians from the Chechen Republic and the Russian federal authorities is to take place in Strasbourg on Monday 21 March 2005, organised by PACE's Political Affairs Committee. A spectrum of around 50 invitees will include, among others, Chechen President Alu Alkhanov, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Vladimir Lukin and President Putin’s Representative in the Southern Federal District Dmitry Kozak.
12/12/2004 | Political Affairs and Democracy
PACE's Political Affairs Committee today organised in Paris a parliamentary hearing on “the need for international condemnation of the crimes of communism”, in the framework of the preparation of a report on the subject. According to the rapporteur, Manuela Aguiar (Portugal, EPP/CD), it is time to take stock of the numerous crimes of totalitarian communism of the past and condemn them solemnly. Participants include Stéphane Courtois, co-author of "The black book of communism: crimes, terror and repression", former Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky and Toomas Hiio of the Estonian Foundation for the Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity.
25/11/2004 | Political Affairs and Democracy
PACE President Peter Schieder has strongly urged the Ukrainian authorities and the opposition to find a peaceful solution to the current political crisis and to refrain from any provocative action that could lead to violence. "The International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) found that the second round failed to meet democratic standards. It is now essential that the complaints by the opposition about cases of alleged electoral fraud be examined by the competent Ukrainian courts in a speedy and transparent manner and the decisions implemented before a new President takes office", Mr Schieder said.
17/11/2004 | Political Affairs and Democracy
PACE’s Political Affairs Committee has called on the Parliament of Israel, which holds observer status with the Assembly, to facilitate the proper conduct of the forthcoming Palestinian presidential election, in particular the free movement of persons. Adopting a statement during a meeting in Paris, the committee also said the Assembly should observe the election. The coming period was “crucial for the Palestinian people”, the parliamentarians said.
16/11/2004 | Political Affairs and Democracy
PACE's Political Affairs Committee has spelled out a series of steps Armenia and Azerbaijan could take to fulfill their commitment to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully. But in a report adopted this week, the committee also expressed concern at the creation of "mono-ethnic areas which resemble the terrible concept of ethnic cleansing" and said displaced persons should be able to return to their homes safely and with dignity. The report may be discussed at the Assembly's January session.
12/11/2004 | Political Affairs and Democracy
“Yasser Arafat successfully ensured that the international community accepted the principle of an independent sovereign state of Palestine”, said the Chair of PACE’s Sub-Committee on the Middle East Lord Kilclooney. “A great memorial to his life would be the creation of a democratic Palestine.” He added: “Personally, I will always recall the warmth and courtesy which he extended to our committee members on our visits to his presidential compound in Ramallah.”
19/10/2004 | Political Affairs and Democracy
The head of the PACE delegation taking part in a UN General Assembly debate in New York appealed for the world body to take into account ideas coming from regional organisations such as the Council of Europe. Adrian Severin (Romania, SOC) told the General Assembly: “We believe it would be fair and wholly justified that such ideas coming from regional organisations as ours are taken into consideration by the United Nations”. He also pointed to the Assembly’s texts aimed at strengthening the UN. PACE members David Atkinson and Christos Pourgourides also addressed the General Assembly, as well as Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis.
04/10/2004 | Political Affairs and Democracy
PACE Political Affairs Committee today adopted a preliminary draft resolution on the situation in Western Sahara. The text urges the authorities of Morocco “to show a compromising attitude towards acceptance of the United Nations Peace Plan for Self-Determination of the People of Western Sahara”, a plan already officially accepted by the Frente Polisario. According to the preliminary draft resolution, prepared by Gabino Puche (Spain, EPP/CD), the acceptance of the Peace Plan would allow “to put an end to the dispute over Western Sahara”.