23/01/2006 | News
The credentials of Azerbaijan’s twelve-member delegation to the Assembly have been challenged at the start of the week-long plenary session in Strasbourg. Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), one of two co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Azerbaijan, made the challenge on substantial grounds saying that Azerbaijan's recent election was not in line with Council of Europe standards. He was supported by at least ten members of the Assembly belonging to at least five national delegations. The Assembly will now decide – on the basis of a report by the Monitoring Committee – whether or not to ratify Azerbaijan’s credentials, or to ratify them but to suspend some of the delegation’s rights. The debate is due on Wednesday 25 January at around 3.30 p.m.
23/01/2006 | News
René van der Linden was re-elected President of PACE for a further one-year term, at the opening of its winter session. The Parliamentary Assembly also today elected its Vice-Presidents:
23/01/2006 | News
“The UN stands to gain much from a stronger and more systematic relationship with parliamentarians, the elected representatives of the member states”, the President of the sixtieth session of the UN General Assembly, Jan Eliasson, said addressing the PACE. “As we all know, structural reform of the UN is a comprehensive and, I know, labour intensive and complicated undertaking. For it to succeed, the broadest possible agreement must be reached between member states. This will require time, energy and creative and forward-looking thinking and to this you have certainly contributed”. Mr Eliasson took part on a debate on the parliamentary dimension of the United Nations.
23/01/2006 | News
At this crucial time for the UN, with agreement on reform proving difficult, PACE today called for renewed impetus in the reform process. As a first step, there should be progressively greater involvement of parliamentarians in UN activities, including the setting up of a parliamentary committee with consultative functions for one or more committees of the General Assembly. If successful, this could eventually inspire the establishment of a full UN parliamentary assembly, based on national delegations, with consultative functions for the plenary General Assembly.
23/01/2006 | News
In his communication on the state of the Council of Europe, the Secretary General recalled the Organisation’s priorities for 2006: stamping out all forms of discrimination and all forms of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment; fostering a true culture of democracy. ''Fighting terrorism also represents one of our major priorities – terrorism is one of the most dangerous threats to democracy and human rights,'' he added.
23/01/2006 | News
Outgoing Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly, Bruno Haller, in his address to members of the Assembly, told them “for me there is no doubt, if the Council of Europe did not exist, we would have to invent it.” “I am well aware of the criticisms made in some quarters about its lack of real power and practical action. We must heed such criticism so that we can further develop what we do on the ground – which, by the way, is what we are doing more and more – and increase our influence in the process of European construction, a goal pursued with great determination by this Assembly. However, these critcisms should not lead us to doubt our role which is one related to values, ethics, thought and the very purpose of living in society.” Mr Haller will be leaving his post on 31 January. In October 2005, the Assembly elected Mateo Sorinas as the new PACE Secretary General.
19/01/2006 | News
Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE), who is investigating allegations of secret detentions in Council of Europe member states, is due to make his interim assessment in an information memorandum to be made public at 9 a.m. on Tuesday 24 January 2006 in Strasbourg. PACE's Legal Affairs Committee will also hold an exchange of views on alleged secret detentions, and on suspected abductions on European soil, and alleged illegal transport of detainees from or through Europe to countries where the persons are at risk of torture, with the United Kingdom's former Ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Manfred Nowak and John Sifton of Human Rights Watch, New York.
12/01/2006 | News
Alleged secret detentions in Council of Europe member states, the crimes of totalitarian communist regimes and human rights violations in the Chechen Republic are among subjects scheduled for debate during PACE's Winter Session in Strasbourg from 23 to 27 January 2006. The current affairs debate on alleged secret detentions is likely to take place on Tuesday 24 January at 10 a.m. Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE), who is investigating these allegations, is due to give his interim assessment in an information memorandum to be made public at 9 a.m.
14/12/2005 | News
Debates on “The need for international condemnation of the crimes of totalitarian communist regimes” and “Combating the resurrection of nazi ideology”, as well as on human rights violations in the Chechen Republic are among highlights of PACE’s winter session (23-27 January). Invited guests include UN General Assembly President Jan Eliasson, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Romanian President Traian Băsescu and Bulgarian Prime Minister Serguei Stanichev. Other subjects to be discussed include the policy of return for failed asylum seekers in the Netherlands and the concept of “nation”. A request will also be made for an urgent debate on allegations of secret detention centres in Council of Europe member states.
13/12/2005 | News
Details of a two-year programme of support for parliamentary institutions in Serbia and Montenegro, conceived jointly by the Assembly and the European Agency for Reconstruction, were presented to PACE’s Bureau at its meeting this week. The EUR 1.58 million programme – aimed at the State Union Assembly and the Parliaments of Serbia and of Montenegro – will involve help for harmonising these bodies’ rules with European norms and seminars for MPs and adminstrators – on the separation of powers, the electoral system, the media and the electorate – as well as study visits and language courses. The overall aim is to promote “European-minded leadership and a constructive political dialogue” as part of helping Serbia and Montenegro to meet its Council of Europe obligations and commitments.
07/12/2005 | News
"Culture and cultural heritage can bring down barriers. They build bridges of peace and understanding. This sort of spirit is essential in such problem areas as Cyprus or in the South Caucasus," PACE President René van der Linden said today in his speech at the Europa Nostra Forum in Brussels.
07/12/2005 | News
After a meeting with EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana in Brussels today PACE President René van der Linden said he was pleased that Mr Solana, like Vice-President Frattini before him, has extended his full support to PACE's enquiry into the alleged secret CIA detention centres and extraordinary rendition flights in Council of Europe member states. "Every day, further details and fresh accusations are emerging. This shows the seriousness of the allegations that have been made and underlines the importance of the Assembly's enquiry. They are one more reason why CE member states, the EU, Eurocontrol and the US authorities, amongst others, should extend their full cooperation to Mr Marty and his team", Mr van der Linden said.