23/01/2007 | News
Concerned about the high numbers of children in member states who are victims of violence, ill-treatment, exploitation, trafficking and trade in their organs, child prostitution and child pornography, the PACE declared that it is indispensable to grant children adequate legal protection as well as legal representation outside the family whenever necessary. .
23/01/2007 | News
While acknowledging the progress made by Armenia towards compliance with its obligations and commitments, in particular since the adoption of the constitutional reform, the Assembly decided to pursue its monitoring procedure until the current or proposed reforms in the fields of electoral law, the media and the justice system have produced tangible results. The Assembly expects Armenia to demonstrate its capacity to hold the parliamentary elections in 2007 and the presidential elections in 2008 in accordance with international standards, not least with regard to pluralist, impartial media coverage of the election campaign.
22/01/2007 | News
PACE's Winter Session today opened in Strasbourg with an address by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and the re-election of PACE President René van der Linden for a one-year term. A debate on the current situation in Kosovo on Wednesday 24 January, with the participation of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on the future status process for Kosovo, Martti Ahtisaari, is one of the highlights of the session. The Assembly will also hold, on Thursday 25, an urgent debate on “Threats to the lives and freedom of expression of journalists” and a current affairs debate on “Threat to the European Court of Human Rights: urgent need for Russia to ratify Protocol No. 14". The Prime Ministers of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, and Greece, Kostas Karamanlis, are invited to address the Assembly. The Princess of Hanover, President of the World Association of Children's Friends, will intervene, on Tuesday 23 January, in the debate on combating violence against children and other forms of child exploitation and abuse.
22/01/2007 | News
It was with great sorrow that the President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, René van der Linden, learned this morning of the death of Abbé Pierre. He paid tribute to a man who, as founder of the Emmaus movement, devoted his life to the poorest in society, advancing the cause of human dignity and combating injustice of whatever kind. On behalf of the entire Parliamentary Assembly René van der Linden sent his condolences to the huge family of people in the Emmaus movement.
22/01/2007 | News
His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I called for dialogue in solving intercultural and interreligious conflicts, in a speech today to the Parliamentary Assembly. "Especially in times such as ours when our planet is facing many warfronts all over the world," he said. He stressed that the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been in "constant dialogue" with the Muslim world. "The necessity and the usefulness of interreligious dialogue has become a property of humanity", he added, while rejecting "analysts of the future of humanity who consider a bloody clash of religions and of religious populations as inevitable".
22/01/2007 | Election observation
The 21 January parliamentary elections in Serbia provided a genuine opportunity for the citizens of Serbia to choose from a range of political platforms and were in line with OSCE commitments and Council of Europe’s standards for democratic elections. Tadeusz Iwinski, Head of the PACE delegation, said: “The way the elections were held proves that the country has made significant progress towards ensuring a free expression of the will of the electorate, whose active participation in the vote shows its intense involvement in determining the vector of their country’s development. All this is extremely important in the light of Serbia’s upcoming chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe that starts in May 2007.”
22/01/2007 | News
Alarmed at the increasingly frequent reports of cases of sexual violence, the victims of which were under the influence of "date-rape drugs" (Rohypnol, GHB and Ketamine), the PACE today called on European governments to raise awareness in the general public and among the responsible authorities about such substances and the specific problems linked to their use. The parliamentarians resquested a revised rape and sexual assault legislation to make it a gender-neutral offence and introduce a provision which requires the victim to have had the “freedom and capacity to consent” to sexual relations, including in cases of intimate rape (within marriage), where this has not yet been done.
22/01/2007 | News
René van der Linden (Netherlands, EPP/CD) was unanimously re-elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe (PACE) for a third mandate of one year. Among PACE highlights and priorities in 2007, Mr van der Linden announced the organisation of a first annual debate on the state of human rights and democracy in Europe in April, which should provide a point of reference for debates in national parliaments including on issues such as racism and xenophobia and combating violence in everyday life. The Assembly also elected its 20 Vice-Presidents
22/01/2007 | News
"In 2007, with all the pressing challenges and threats to the rights and wellbeing of the people of Europe, the Council of Europe is here to remind European governments of this commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law – the values which are essential for peace and stability. In effect, democracy and human rights are like being in good health – you may not notice it until you lose it – and it is always a good idea to take good care of your health", Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis said adressing the Assembly.
19/01/2007 | News
“I warmly welcome the return of Russia’s ambassador to Tbilisi," PACE President René van der Linden said today. "During my visit to Moscow last week I discussed with the authorities, and in particular with Foreign Minister Lavrov, the need for small steps to be taken to de-escalate tensions with Georgia. I see this as one such positive step. As always PACE stands ready to help further with this process,” Mr van der Linden added.
19/01/2007 | President
At the end of a two-day visit to Belarus (18-19 January 2007), PACE President René van der Linden has called for positive steps to start fresh co-operation with Belarus and end its isolation, and proposed a list of practical measures. "I see more willingness on the part of the authorities to move closer to European structures, in particular the Council of Europe and the European Union," he said. But any dialogue with Belarus must be based on respect for Council of Europe values, the President stressed. He also met with members of the opposition, including Alexander Milinkievich and the wife of imprisoned opposition leader Aleksandr Kozulin. They agreed the visit was a positive step for democratic development in the country.
18/01/2007 | News
Adressing the Belarusian State University duiring his visit to Minsk, PACE President René van der Linden today called on students to choose a future based on "freedom and dignity". "I believe that it is you, the young people of Belarus, who represent the future and who will shape your country’s destiny. I urge you to choose a future based on freedom and dignity, a future of dynamic opportunity built on openness, security and stability; a future based on European values, shared with the other members of the greater European family", he said.