02/10/2008 | Session
"It is unfortunate that so few women are members of the executive bodies of political parties," said Lluís Maria de Puig, President of PACE, today, on the occasion of the launch of the 2009 Gender Equality Prize, specifying that women accounted for fewer than 20% of members of parliament in nearly half the member states. "I am convinced that this Prize, instituted by the Assembly, will encourage political parties in Europe to strive for greater parity," Mr de Puig added.
02/10/2008 | Session
PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights today adopted the following statement: “The Committee is worried about the fate of Guantanamo detainees who have been cleared of all suspicion of terrorist activity, but who cannot return to their home countries where they would now risk persecution. The Committee recalls the primary responsibility of the United States, which must recognise and adequately compensate the injustice done to these men."
02/10/2008 | Session
Strasbourg, 2.10.2008 - The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly received the report from the Human Rights Commissioner regarding his visit to Yerevan from 13 to 15 July 2008 and was extremely alarmed about its findings and conclusions that show that only limited progress has been...
01/10/2008 | Session
PACE today welcomed a number of praiseworthy initiatives to advance the rights of national minorities in Serbia, but said there were still “serious deficiencies” in realising these rights. Serbia should “react with greater celerity and firmness against the perpetrators of interethnic violence in all its forms”, the parliamentarians said. Among other things, they called for steps to make the national councils for national minorities more effective, and the adoption of a new law on discrimination.
01/10/2008 | Political Affairs and Democracy
‘The conduct of the recent elections in Belarus have been yet another reason for concern’ commented today PACE rapporteur on the Situation in Belarus Andrea Rigoni (Italy, ALDE). Although PACE did not send an election observation mission, Mr Rigoni was able to form his own first-hand opinion over the conduct of the elections, having observed them in his national capacity as Italian parliamentarian. ‘Unfortunately, another opportunity for democracy has been missed in Belarus. It is quite unbelievable that, out of 110 constituencies, not one single opposition candidate was able to get elected.’
01/10/2008 | Session
OECD Secretary General Angel Gurría at the Assembly on 1st October, expressed the OECD’s support for the adoption of the U.S. systemic rescue plan: “I am confident that in the coming days the U.S. legislators will reach an agreement.” Europe may need such a plan as well, he said, “considering the exposure of European financial institutions.”
01/10/2008 | Session
Addressing the Assembly, Nyamko Sabuni, Swedish Minister for Integration and Gender Equality, said that the active involvement of young people is crucially important in the struggle for human rights, democracy and unity of the continent. She also called on member states to provide financial support to youth organisations as a way of promoting the Organisation’s youth policies.
01/10/2008 | Session
New rules for financial markets must be formulated with a view to openness, transparency and much improved risk-management in financial institutions, according to rapporteur Anna Lilliehöök (Sweden, EPP/CD), presenting her report on “the OECD and the world economy” to the Assembly today. “To successfully work out better rules, we must work together internationally and in a systematic manner: inadequate rules, or rules applying to only one part of the market, risk doing more harm than good,” she said.
01/10/2008 | Session
The PACE today decided to confirm the ratification of the credentials of the Russian delegation, while reminding that it can be seized again of the matter “at any moment”. The parliamentarians considered that the recent war between Russia and Georgia constitutes in itself “a serious violation of the Statute of the Council of Europe” and of their obligations and commitments as member states. However, following the proposals by the rapporteur Andreas Gross (Switzerland, SOC), parliamentarians said it is essential to ensure that dialogue and mutual building of trust can be pursued between the two sides, but also between each of them and our Assembly.
01/10/2008 | Session
PACE called on the Committee of Ministers today to refresh the Council of Europe's youth agenda, which came into being after the events of May 68, and to involve young people fully in the Organisation's activities, particularly in the field of intercultural dialogue and education for democratic citizenship and human rights. At the same time, PACE issued a challenge to young people and youth organisations, calling on them to take advantage of the possibilities that exist for interaction with the Council of Europe, in particular with the Assembly.
01/10/2008 | Session
In his address to the Parliamentary Assembly on 1st October Mehmet Ali Talat, leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community, said: “The Parliamentary Assembly is the first international parliament to accept the elected representatives of the Turkish Cypriot people under its roof. Taking into consideration our YES vote for the United Nations Comprehensive Settlement Plan, which was aimed at solving the Cyprus problem, you have, since the year 2005, provided us with a window to breathe through in our long-lived political isolation. Turkish Cypriot parliamentarians have been able to step into the international arena, thanks to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.”
01/10/2008 | Session
The current situation offers the best opportunity in many years to reach a settlement that would restore peace and unity to Cyprus, says PACE. Following a debate on the situation on the island, parliamentarians called on “all the internal and external actors involved” to do their utmost to maximise the chances of the process succeeding. “President Christofias and Mr Talat,” said PACE, “are conscious that they cannot afford to fail.” The Assembly urged Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, as the three guarantor states of the 1960 Constitution of Cyprus, to “fully and actively” use their influence to support the political process under way.