09/11/2005 | President
Adressing today the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, PACE President René van der Linden stressed that the results achieved by Turkey have made possible the start of the negotiations on the EU membership, and reminded that, in fact, the so-called Copenhagen criteria are values and standards of the Council of Europe. "I hailed the EU decision to start the negotiations and, in doing so, I declared that Europe must meet its promises and commitments, just as Turkey must fulfill its obligations and commitments. I have strongly argued that Turkey needs and merits the prospect of full EU membership, just as the EU needs and merits Turkey", he said.
09/11/2005 | President
PACE President René van der Linden, who is on an official visit to Turkey from 9 to 13 November, today addressed the Turkish Parliament. The first foreign guest to speak before the Grand National Assembly of Turkey this year, René van der Linden stressed the importance of Turkey for the Council of Europe and for European and world affairs in general. In his speech, the President of PACE pointed in particular to issues such as the major political and legislative reforms accomplished by Turkey. The results achieved made it possible for Turkey to start accession negotiations with the EU. "Turkey needs and merits the prospect of full EU membership, just as the EU needs and merits Turkey" he said.
07/11/2005 | President
Assistance from the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly for the major political and legislative reforms under way in Turkey, the process of accession for this Council of Europe member state to the European Union, the key role to be played by Turkey as a European country with a majority Muslim population in indispensable intercultural and inter-faith dialogue, the situation in Cyprus and the issue of minorities will all be among the topics covered by the President of the Assembly, René van der Linden, on his official visit to Turkey from 9 to 13 November.
04/11/2005 | President
Strasbourg, 04.11.2005 – In the wake of the violence in several suburban areas of France which has seen hundreds of vehicles set on fire and major damage caused, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), René van der Linden, this morning called for calm and dialogue in accordance with the rule of law. "It is these neighbourhoods' own residents who are suffering most from the consequences of a senseless spiral of violence which is depriving them of their means of transport, both private and public, their schools and, in many cases, their jobs. This violence must stop immediately. The authorities must not only take a firm line with the troublemakers, but also make an early start to the dialogue."
03/11/2005 | President
“Democratic government is a basic social necessity. It is therefore all the more important that, as the world changes, democracy remains relevant and alive.” Addressing the Opening Session of the Forum for the Future of Democracy in Warsaw, Poland, René van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), continued by stating that “it is only democracy, when coupled with respect for human rights and the rule of law, that can ensure the conditions for economic growth and the material well-being of our citizens.” The President warmly welcomed the Forum’s theme of ‘Civic participation.’ “Civil society must be an integral part of the democratic process, systematically providing constructive criticism and new ideas,” he said.
28/10/2005 | President
The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, René van der Linden, has firmly condemned the remarks of the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has confirmed his statement calling for Israel to be wiped off the map. “I am deeply shocked and preoccupied by this statement and the attitude of the Iranian President who is openly defying the values of the international community. Such utterances are absolutely intolerable and unacceptable. We want to see Israel live in safety and peace with its neighbours. For the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the establishment of two States remains the sole realistic political solution to resolve the conflict, and the road map continues to be the valid reference for the peace negotiations. The international community, and especially the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and the Russian Federation, must commit themselves more to the negotiation process and do everything in their power to attain peace, which appears closer today than it has been for many years.”
25/10/2005 | President
Speaking during an official visit to Albania, the President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, René van der Linden, has called for zero tolerance towards corrupt judges and prosecutors.“Albanian society suffers from corruption, organised crime and trafficking in human beings, but not a single person responsible has been brought to justice,” he pointed out. “Albania has a very low rate of convictions and prosecutions. This country should show zero tolerance towards judges and prosecutors who are found to be corrupt or violate their professional code of ethics. Persons guilty of such conduct should not only be dismissed, but also prosecuted,” he said, adding that there was an urgent need to “strengthen the judiciary and ensure its independence and impartiality”.
24/10/2005 | President
Addressing the newly elected Albanian Parliament in Tirana today, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) René van der Linden called for increased efforts to fight corruption and organised crime, to implement legislative and electoral reform and to support the freedom and independence of the press.“Six years after my first visit to Albania, this country is on its way to becoming a more open and liberal society. However, illicit influence on public life by organised crime, endemic corruption and poverty amongst certain segments of Albanian society, and a weak and inefficient judiciary system and state administration, are some of the ills that continue to impede progress. That is what the Albanian people want to see change. You now face the challenge of living up to their expectations", the President said.
21/10/2005 | President
PACE President René van der Linden, at an event organised by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung on Thursday 20 October 2005 in Brussels, proposed that the European Union’s unspent resources in the field of democracy and human rights should be pooled in a combined European Union/Council of Europe fund to finance joint programmes intended for the development and consolidation of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe. He will make this proposal to Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, who has been asked to prepare a report on the relations between the Council of Europe and the European Union.
20/10/2005 | President
Speaking following today’s meeting of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly’s Presidential Committee and the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents in Brussels, Assembly President René van der Linden said: “I am confident that the European Parliament will address the problems raised with a view to the mandate of the future EU Fundamental Rights Agency and will help to avoid duplication, which would waste resources and put standards and achievements at risk. There can only be one standard in the field of human rights protection, the one set by the European Convention on Human Rights and enforced by the Court of the Council of Europe for 800 million European citizens”, René van der Linden said.
19/10/2005 | President
On 20 October 2005, in Brussels (Belgium) a joint meeting of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly's (PACE) Presidential Committee and the European Parliament's (EP) Conference of Presidents, will bring together the President of the EP Josep Borrell and PACE President René van der Linden, as well as the respective Chairpersons of the political groups, to discuss the new EU Fundamental Rights Agency and its Neighbourhood policy.
13/10/2005 | President
Following the clashes that this morning spread to a school, airport and government buildings in Nalchik city, in the Kabardino-Balkaria region of Russia, Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President René van der Linden addressed the following message to the President of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov and to the Chairman of the Federation Council Serguei Mironov: "On behalf of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe I strongly condemn these barbaric attacks. I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the victims as well as our full solidarity with the Russian people. Whoever the authors are, they are nothing but criminals. No cause can justify terrorism and only the total rejection of violence as a means of political struggle can bring peace to the region. This attack shows the need to further improve international co-ordination against terrorism worldwide", he said.