12/12/2005 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) is due to discuss the progress of the inquiry by Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE) into "Alleged secret detention centres in Council of Europe member states" at a meeting in Paris on Tuesday 13 December 2005. The meeting begins at 9am on Tuesday 13 December at the Council of Europe office (55 avenue Kléber, Paris 16e, Métro: Boissière). Mr Marty will be available for interviews from 2 p.m.
09/12/2005 | President
PACE President René van der Linden today expressed his satisfaction that Ante Gotovina, a Croatian war crimes suspect who has for many years been amongst those most wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, was today arrested in Spain.
09/12/2005 | Migration, International Protection and Economic Co-operation
In a statement adopted today during its meeting in Paris, PACE's Migration Committee expressed its deep concern over the way in which accelerated asylum procedures are developing in Europe: "Accelerated procedures, leading to allegations of ‘refoulement’ of asylum seekers, are increasingly used across Europe," it said.
07/12/2005 | News
"Culture and cultural heritage can bring down barriers. They build bridges of peace and understanding. This sort of spirit is essential in such problem areas as Cyprus or in the South Caucasus," PACE President René van der Linden said today in his speech at the Europa Nostra Forum in Brussels.
07/12/2005 | News
After a meeting with EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana in Brussels today PACE President René van der Linden said he was pleased that Mr Solana, like Vice-President Frattini before him, has extended his full support to PACE's enquiry into the alleged secret CIA detention centres and extraordinary rendition flights in Council of Europe member states. "Every day, further details and fresh accusations are emerging. This shows the seriousness of the allegations that have been made and underlines the importance of the Assembly's enquiry. They are one more reason why CE member states, the EU, Eurocontrol and the US authorities, amongst others, should extend their full cooperation to Mr Marty and his team", Mr van der Linden said.
06/12/2005 | News
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) President René van der Linden will meet EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana on 7 December in Brussels (12 – 1 pm, 175 rue de la Loi). Their discussions are expected to focus on alleged secret detention centres in Council of Europe member states as well as issues such as the EU’s Neighbourhood policy and Fundamental Rights Agency, EU-Council of Europe co-operation in Kosovo and co-ordinated action regarding Belarus.
05/12/2005 | Election observation
Despite some improvements in the election administration prior to election day, the 4 December presidential election in Kazakhstan did not meet a number of international standards for democratic elections, according to a joint statement issued today. Tadeusz Iwinski, heading the five-member delegation of Assembly observers, said: "The active participation clearly shows the interest and hopes of the Kazakh people in the development of a democratic society. However, the high attendance caused in some cases overcrowding in polling stations, which hindered the voting process and the secrecy of the vote."
01/12/2005 | Prizes
The Council of Europe's Museum Prize for 2006 has been awarded to the Churchill Museum in London. The Museum, which opened in February 2005, was praised for its use of the latest technology to draw on the extensive archives in presentations that are readily accessible to older and younger generations. The Museum Prize has been awarded annually since 1977 to a museum judged to have made a significant contribution to the understanding of European cultural heritage.
30/11/2005 | Election observation
A five-member, cross-party delegation of parliamentarians from PACE, headed by Tadeusz Iwinski (Poland, SOC), will observe the 4 December Presidential election in Kazakhstan alongside observers from the OSCE and the European Parliament.
30/11/2005 | Culture, Science, Education and Media
"With the presidential elections in 2006... the people of Belarus have the right to be informed independently and correctly about the situation in their country," said PACE's Sub-Committee on the Media in a declaration approved today. "Without free and independent media, these elections are doomed to be non-democratic." The sub-committee also called on the EU to remove constraints on broadcasting into Belarus.
29/11/2005 | President
Rene van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, today expressed his concern at reports that a peaceful demonstration by opposition supporters in Baku, Azerbaijan had been violently dispersed by the police. "I condemn any unjustified use of force against a peaceful political rally," said the President.
28/11/2005 | Monitoring
At its meeting in Paris on 23 November the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe considered a memorandum submitted by the Rapporteur on Slovakia, Hanne Severinsen (Denmark, ALDE), and recommended the closure of post-monitoring dialogue. Having considered a memorandum submitted by the Rapporteur on Latvia, György Frunda (Romania, EPP/CD), the committee also recommended the closure of the post-monitoring dialogue for this country, and decided to prepare a revised memorandum for the next committee meeting.