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."
16/02/2006 | Political Affairs and Democracy
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs are organising a conference on Belarus in Prague on Thursday 23 February, in the run-up to the presidential election, which will be taking place in that country on 19 March. The conference will be opened by the President of the PACE, René van der Linden, and the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cyril Svoboda, on 23 February at 9am. in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Czernin Palace, Grand Hall, Loretanske namesti 5, Prague). It will be open to the press.
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.
31/01/2006 | Monitoring
The changes to the Constitution adopted by referendum on 27 November will at last allow Armenia to make progress in respecting the commitments it accepted on joining the Council of Europe, according to a statement by PACE's Monitoring Committee. But the committee asks: "Was it really necessary to stuff the ballot boxes and inflate the turnout artificially to get the reform through?"
27/01/2006 | News
The natural tendency for companies to allocate their investments optimally “should be allowed to continue unhindered” since it will lead over time to increased trade, a rise in prosperity on all sides and a more unified and politically stable Europe, PACE said today following a debate. But in a resolution the parliamentarians said countries should “properly assist those affected” and seek to maintain essential aspects of Europe’s hard-fought-for social achievements.
27/01/2006 | News
Everyone has the right to a nationality, but what happens when a state, for example, divides into two new states? The Assembly today welcomed the draft Protocol on the avoidance of statelessness in relation to state succession which it regards as an essential instrument complementing the existing Conventions. It fully supported the objective of avoiding cases of statelessness by facilitating the acquisition of nationality and it generally subscribes to the provisions laid down therein. However, the Assembly recommended the introduction of several amendments to the draft instrument.
27/01/2006 | News
The economic rise of China can lead to major benefits for Europe and overall world stability and prosperity, according to PACE. In a resolution, the parliamentarians said reforms have begun in the country and Europe must support them. However, China also needs to make progress on human rights, democracy and the rule of law, the parliamentarians pointed out – areas which are of vital importance to lasting economic development. Here, Europe has a major role to play, not least through increased contacts via the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly.
26/01/2006 | Political Affairs and Democracy
In the run-up to the presidential election in Belarus on March 2006, the PACE today called on the Lukashenko regime to refrain from “obstructing the free and fair running of the electoral campaign”, and take “positive action to ensure that pluralist information can be provided”. At the end of an urgent debate, the Assembly deplored that freedom of expression is blatantly flouted, and noted that in the last two years “the situation has not improved but worsened”. It called on member states to give “immediate financial and if necessary logistical support to independent broadcasting to Belarus from abroad”.
26/01/2006 | News
"Our common aim is to establish a genuine partnership between the Council of Europe and the European Union, as two prominent organizations sharing the same values", today said the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania and Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers addressing the Assembly. Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu reminded taht "two distinct and mutually reinforcing processes have been unfolded to this purpose –a report by H.E. Jean-Claude Juncker, which the Heads of State and Government asked the Prime Minister of Luxembourg to prepare on a personal basis and the negotiation of a Memorandum of Understanding that would render operational the guidelines adopted by the Warsaw Summit".