24/01/2005 | News
René van der Linden (Netherlands, EPP/CD) was today unanimously elected PACE President for a mandate of one year, twice renewable. He succeeds Peter Schieder (Austria, SOC) as the 23rd President of the Assembly since its creation in 1949. He is the second Dutchman to fill this post. In his inaugural speech, Mr van der Linden said his priorities as PACE President would be increased co-operation with other international organisations, particularly the EU, UN and OSCE, making the Assembly’s work even more relevant to Europe’s citizens, and achieving a successful Third Summit of Heads of State and Government (Warsaw, Poland, 16-17 May).
24/01/2005 | News
The Parliamentary Assembly today elected its Vice-Presidents: Fátima Aburto Balsega (Spain), Giorgi Arveladzé (Georgia), Claudio Azzolini (Italy), Miroslav Benes (Czech Republic), Rudolf Bindig (Germany), Mikko Elo (Finland), Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco), Marcel Glesener (Luxembourg), Tadeusz Iwinski (Poland), Tony Lloyd (United Kingdom), Tito Masi (San Marino), Frano Matusic (Croatia), Mikhail Margelov (Russia), Murat Mercan (Turkey), Elsa Papadimitriou (Greece), Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando (Malta), Bernard Schreiner (France), Hanne Severinsen (Denmark), Zoltán Szabo (Hungary), Vacant seat (Moldova).
24/01/2005 | News
Addressing the Assembly this afternoon, Claude Frey, Chairman of the Executive Council of the North-South Centre, gave a reminder of the Centre's objectives, and particularly welcomed the signature just six days before of a co-operation agreement between the Assembly and the North-South Centre. He said that it was now time to take the next step forward, so that all the Council of Europe member states which had not yet joined the North-South Centre could do so. In this context, he foresaw a bright future thanks to the new agreement, which would increase the synergy between the Parliamentary Assembly and the Centre.
24/01/2005 | News
A year on from the “Rose Revolution”, it is time to normalise the situation in Georgia and bring the political process firmly back to the country’s institutions, the Assembly said today at the end of a debate on Georgia’s honouring of its obligations and commitments. “The post-revolutionary situation should not become an alibi for hasty decisions and neglect of democratic and human rights standards,” the parliamentarians warned. But as a sign of understanding to the new authorities, they agreed to revise deadlines for some of Georgia's Council of Europe commitments. They also encouraged President Saakashvili’s initiative to propose a peace plan for South Ossetia – which he is due to present to the Assembly on Wednesday.
19/01/2005 | News
Addresses by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili are among highlights of the winter session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), which takes place in Strasbourg from 24 to 28 January 2005. Mr Yushchenko will speak provisionally on Tuesday afternoon, and Mr Saakashvili on Wednesday morning. Another highlight is a debate during which the Assembly will put forward its proposals for the coming Third Summit of the Council of Europe.
14/01/2005 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
Parliamentary Assembly member Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold (Switzerland, SOC), who is responsible for presenting an opinion on the Council of Europe’s draft Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the 46-member Organisation, on 14 January made an pressing appeal for better protection of victims. “The draft convention is unsatisfactory; it gives the impression that states refuse to distinguish between illegal migration and trafficking in human beings”, said Mrs Vermot-Mangold at a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Equal Opportunities between Women and Men in Paris.
12/01/2005 | Equality and Non-Discrimination
"The disaster in South Asia has made thousands of children and young women an easy target for traffickers of human beings. After drugs and arms, trafficking in human beings is the third biggest form of trafficking worldwide and a scourge undermining human rights that must be stamped out," said Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold (Switzerland, SOC), who has the task of presenting an opinion on the draft Council of Europe Convention on action against trafficking in human beings. The draft Convention is to be presented to the press on Friday 14 January at midday in the Paris Office by Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe and Mrs Vermot-Mangold, Assembly rapporteur.
12/01/2005 | President
"Beyond the strong historical and cultural ties between Mexico and Europe, the Council of Europe can build today on the strong commitment of its Latin American partner who shares its common fundamental values and its raison d’être, to defend human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law, President Peter Schieder said today, speaking at the plenary session of the Standing Committee of the Mexican Union Congress as part of his official visit to Mexico from 12 to 14 January. He stressed that Europe should be more present on the international scene, right there where issues of global concern are decided. "In my view, Mexico is a privileged partner in this endeavour - for Europe in general and for the Council of Europe in particular," he concluded.
11/01/2005 | Legal Affairs and Human Rights
PACE's rapporteur on detentions at Guantanamo Bay, Kevin McNamara (United Kingdom, SOC), has welcomed the impending release of the four remaining British detainees, but again called on the United States to return or release all other Council of Europe nationals and residents – of which there could be more than thirty from ten countries. Their detention was "equally unlawful", he said. Mr McNamara is currently preparing a report on the legality of detentions at the US base.
10/01/2005 | Election observation
A delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), lead by Lord Kilclooney, former Minister at Home Affairs in Northern Ireland, observed the 9 January election of the President of the Palestinian Authority. The delegation was satisfied with the efficient organisation of this election. The overall high voter turnout clearly signals the belief of the Palestinian electorate in the democratic process. With the election of the new President, a new window of opportunity is opened for a renewed dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis.
06/01/2005 | President
During his official visit to Mexico from 12 to 16 January, Peter Schieder will meet the President and Foreign Minister, party leaders and parliamentarians to discuss Mexico’s relations with the Council of Europe, where it holds observer status. He will also address the Mexican Senate.
05/01/2005 | Election observation
A 15-member PACE delegation, lead by Lord Kilclooney, former Minister at Home Affairs in Northern Ireland, will observe the election of the President of the Palestinian Authority to be held on 9 January 2005. During their stay in Ramallah and Jerusalem, from 7 to 10 January, the parliamentarians will meet with the candidates for the Presidency, the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, the Chair of the Central Electoral Commission and the Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, as well as with representatives of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and NGO’s.