20/03/2006 | President
PACE President René van der Linden today expressed his bitter disappointment that the Assembly’s repeated calls for the Belarusian authorities to ensure free and fair presidential elections had gone unheeded. “As we feared, the OSCE’s preliminary findings have concluded that the election did not meet international standards,” said Mr van der Linden. “Through a combination of manipulative influence by the administration, a lack of freedom of expression and information, unequal access to campaigning opportunities, state control of the mass media, the frequently violent harassment of opposition candidates and supporters and an election administration that lacked independence, the Belarusian people were not permitted to choose their president through free expression of their political will.”
11/03/2006 | President
Reacting to the death of Slobodan Milosevic, PACE President René van der Linden today declared: "Unfortunately, the sudden death of Slovodan Milosevic prevents the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia from reaching a conclusion in this case. Therefore, the victims of the terrible wars in the Balkans won't see justice being delivered. However, it is now more urgent than ever that other war crimes suspects be brought to justice as soon as possible".
09/03/2006 | President
René van der Linden, President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), today condemned actions aimed at creating a climate of intimidation by the Lukashenko regime against opposition candidates ahead of the presidential election in Belarus, following the arrest and trial of Vincuk Viachorka, Chair of the Belarusian Popular National Front Party and an aide of presidential candidate Alexander Milinkevich.
23/02/2006 | President
René van der Linden, the President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), today called for an end to the isolation of the Belarusian people and proposed the opening of a Council of Europe office in Minsk. “We need to break the isolation of the Belarusian people. We must strengthen direct contacts with Belarusian democratic forces and civil society. We need to reinforce our presence in Belarus. Our Assembly has suggested establishing a Council of Europe Information Centre in the country. I think that this initiative is of fundamental importance to enable us to reach the people of Belarus,” Mr van der Linden said in a speech.
17/02/2006 | President
René van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, today expressed his full support for the UN report condemning US detention practices at Guantánamo Bay. "As the Parliamentary Assembly pointed out in its own report last year, the United States Government has betrayed its own highest principles in the zeal with which it has attempted to pursue the "war on terror"," said Mr van der Linden. "Guantánamo is one of the most extreme examples of these misguided and unlawful policies. I join with the European Parliament in strongly urging the US government to close the detention camp immediately and either release the detainees or bring them to trial without further delay."
14/02/2006 | President
PACE President René van der Linden today expressed his great disappointment at the lack of breakthrough in the latest round of presidential talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "I must once again reiterate that there will be no sustainable development or prosperity for the region and no future for its children without a peaceful settlement to this dispute," said Mr van der Linden, who held a series of high-level meetings with political leaders when visiting the region last August. "I strongly encourage all parties to resume their discussions as soon as possible and with renewed determination. The Minsk Group process retains the full political support of the Assembly," he added. "In addition, we will continue to facilitate parliamentary diplomacy as a supplementary means of promoting dialogue and rapprochement, in particular through our ad-hoc committee dealing with the issue, which will be meeting next month. Following this, I intend to discuss ways to intensify these efforts when I meet the speakers of the parliaments of Armenia and Azerbaijan in May."
10/02/2006 | President
In his speech at a joint meeting of the Greek Parliament’s Defence and Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Justice Committees, PACE President René van der Linden stressed that he did not see an added value of a EU Agency of Human Rights. “We are concerned about the geographical remit of such an Agency. Such an Agency should gather and analyse data within the EU 25 member states only.
09/02/2006 | President
Referring to the controversy and violent response to Danish caricatures in several countries worldwide, PACE President René van der Linden said today that there cannot be a democratic society without the fundamental right to freedom of expression and information, but underlined that freedom of thought, conscience and religion constitutes one of the essential freedoms of individuals. Mr van der Linden, who is paying an official visit to Greece at the invitation of the Speaker of Parliament Anna Benaki, said: “Democratic pluralism and tolerance require that the religion and beliefs of individuals are fully respected. Rights come with responsibilities. In a globalised world where information travels so fast, the media should be aware of its impact on millions and millions of people. Everywhere, they should use their power to cultivate peace and understanding, as well as respect for what other cultures and religions hold most sacred,” the President said.
06/02/2006 | President
Greece’s contribution to stability in the region, the prospects for a settlement of the Cyprus problem and the promotion of intercultural and inter-faith dialogue are some of the issues which PACE President René van der Linden will be addressing during his official visit to Greece from 7 to 10 February 2006. The visit comes in response to an invitation by the Speaker of the Greek Parliament, Anna Benaki, with whom Mr van der Linden will be holding talks on Thursday 9 February. On the same day he will be meeting the President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias, Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis and Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis, as well as representatives of the country’s main political parties.
13/01/2006 | President
René van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, today welcomed the proposal that the European Parliament create a temporary committee to investigate the allegations of secret CIA detentions in Europe.
09/01/2006 | President
PACE President René van der Linden will address participants of an international conference on intercultural and interreligious dialogue organised by the Russian Federation in cooperation with the Council of Europe in Nizhniy Novgorod on 7 and 8 September. The President very much welcomed this initiative as he considers that this issue receives too little attention from politicians. He said he will encourage churches to raise their voices and speak out on issues relating to our common values, e.g. human rights, poverty, children's rights, family issues, the fight against AIDS. The Conference will bring together some 300 government representatives, experts and leading figures from religious communities all across Europe. Those taking part will look at the challenges and opportunities of cultural diversity, the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue and the contribution the media can make to greater mutual understanding.
25/12/2005 | President
The President of PACE René van der Linden today welcomed the decision of the Libyan Supreme Court to order a new trial of the Bulgarian nurses and Palestinian doctor facing the death penalty for deliberately infecting children with HIV. “The Libyan judicial system has demonstrated its independence today, recognising that new evidence and new information have cast serious doubt on this conviction,” he said. “The medics should now be released on bail.” He also thanked the British Presidency of the EU for its efforts to find a solution to this problem.