27/02/2004 | President
Parliamentary Assembly President Peter Schieder today launched a pressing appeal for the abolition of the death penalty in Japan, following the death sentence passed on Shoko Asahara, the leader of a Japanese doomsday cult, and other members of the cult involved in the gas attack on a Tokyo subway in 1995. “The case for sparing Shoko Asahara’s life is neither easy nor a popular one to make. The Council of Europe is opposed to the death penalty in all its forms, even for the Tokyo subway killer. But human rights apply to every one of us, without exception,” Mr Schieder said.
26/02/2004 | President
In a letter of condolence addressed today to the Speaker of the Parliament of "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Assembly President Peter Schieder wrote: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of President Trajkovski this morning in what appears to have been a tragic accident. On behalf of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, I extend my condolences to his family and to the families of those others who died. The Macedonian people have lost a loyal servant, and a man who did much to maintain peace and the unity of his country.” President Trajkovski addressed the Assembly in Strasbourg twice (in June 2000 and June 2002). "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" joined the Council of Europe in 1995.
26/02/2004 | President
“Liechtenstein wishes to be an active member of the Council of Europe,” said Assembly President Peter Schieder today following an exchange of views with the President of the Liechtenstein parliament Klaus Wanger in Vienna on dialogue with the authorities of the Principality. On 26 January, the Assembly had confirmed the decision of its Bureau not to monitor Liechtenstein over recent constitutional changes but instead to start a dialogue with authorities of the Principality on the question. President Schieder will inform the members of the Bureau of his meeting on Monday, 1st March in Paris.
19/02/2004 | President
Parliamentary Assembly President Peter Schieder meets the President of the Liechtenstein parliament Klaus Wanger on 26 February in Vienna. In January the Assembly confirmed the decision not to monitor the Principality following recent constitutional changes, but instead to begin a dialogue on the question. At its next meeting, the Assembly’s Bureau is due to consider what form this dialogue could take.
13/02/2004 | President
A nine-member Parliamentary Assembly delegation, headed by President Peter Schieder, met members of the UN High-Level Panel on Global Threats, Challenges and Change in Paris on 16 February. The Assembly delegation was the first group to be met by the 16-member Panel, named by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in November 2003 to consider how best to ensure ”effective collective action”, including reform of UN organs and other international mechanisms, given the emergence of deep divergences of opinion on the nature and scope of the challenges the world faces. The Assembly delegation included Tana de Zulueta (Italy, SOC), currently preparing a report on “the strengthening of the United Nations” for possible debate in April, as well as other Assembly members who have prepared reports related to the Panel’s mandate. Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer also took part.