Reply
| Doc. 12802
| 30 November 2011
- Author(s):
- Committee of Ministers
- Origin
- adopted
at the 1127th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (23 November 2011) 2012 - First part-session
- Reply to
- Recommendation 1972
(2011)
- Thesaurus
1. The Committee of Ministers concurs with
the Assembly concerning the importance for the entire Mediterranean
and Middle East region of the transition to democracy embarked on
in Tunisia. It welcomes the fact that the election of the Tunisian
Constituent National Assembly on 23 October 2011 was free and democratic,
thereby setting a example for the entire region, as noted by the
mission of the Parliamentary Assembly which observed the election.
2. The Committee of Ministers points out that, as early as February
2011, its then Turkish Chairman and the Secretary General visited
Tunisia to discuss with the new Tunisian authorities the ways in
which the Council of Europe could assist this transition process.
Following the Committee of Ministers' decision, at its 121st Session
in Istanbul on 11 May 2011, to establish a new policy regarding
the relations with neighbouring regions, these contacts were actively
pursued, at both the political and the technical levels, so as to
devise with the Tunisian authorities an action plan laying the foundations
for strengthened co-operation. A first contact mission to Tunisia
was organised by the Secretariat from 10 to 12 October 2011 to discuss
the possible scope of such an action plan. It is hoped that this
action plan can be adopted by the Committee before the end of the year,
provided the progress of the discussions with the Tunisian authorities
so permits.
3. The Committee of Ministers welcomes the fact that assistance
activities were organised by the Venice Commission for the election
of the members of the Constituent Assembly on 23 October. With
regard to the Forum for the Future of Democracy, at their 1114th
meeting (25 May 2011), the Ministers' Deputies encouraged the stakeholders
in the Forum to consider the advisability of inviting representatives
from countries on the southern and eastern rims of the Mediterranean
basin in their respective spheres of competence. The Committee of
Ministers expresses its satisfaction that a delegation from Tunisia
participated in the session of the Forum held in Cyprus on 13 and
14 October on the theme “The interdependence of democracy and social cohesion”.
Concerning the Summer University for Democracy, the Committee of
Ministers notes that Mr Rafâa Ben Achour, Minister Delegate to the
Prime Minister of Tunisia, gave an opening lecture at the most recent session
in June 2011 and that a group of representatives of Tunisian non-governmental
organisations took part in this event. It very much hopes that Tunisia
will be represented at the Strasbourg World Forum for Democracy to
be held in October 2012.
4. Like the Parliamentary Assembly, the Committee of Ministers
considers that Tunisia's accession to certain Council of Europe
conventions would be a particularly interesting course of action
in the context of the rapprochement with this country, provided
the Tunisian authorities make the request, the conventions in question
are open to accession by non-member states and the Committee of
Ministers considers that accession to any specific convention is
appropriate. This question has been raised during the many contacts that
have taken place with the Tunisian authorities at both the political
and the technical levels. The same applies to Tunisia's possible
accession to partial agreements such as that on the North-South
Centre.
5. Concerning the issue of the potential large-scale arrival
of irregular migrants, asylum seekers and refugees on Europe's southern
shores, the Ministers' Deputies held an in-depth discussion on this
subject as early as 15 March 2011. Subsequently, at their 1116th
meeting (15-16 June 2011), they took note of a proposal by the Secretary
General concerning a framework for Council of Europe work on migration
issues, which formed the basis for the Secretary General's proposals
for a transversal programme in this area in the draft Council of
Europe Programme and Budget 2012-2013. They also took note of the
Secretary General’s proposals for possible Council of Europe action
in 2011 and called on member states to provide voluntary contributions
so that the Secretary General could implement the activities proposed.
Lastly, on 15 September 2011, a working meeting involving the Council
of Europe Development Bank was organised to present to interested
member states the assistance the Council of Europe, and in particular
the Bank, could provide in the event of a mass influx of asylum
seekers and migrants from the southern rim of the Mediterranean
and the Middle East.
6. Finally, concerning the Assembly's proposal to create a special
status with the Council of Europe for the countries of the southern
and eastern Mediterranean, the Committee of Ministers considers
that, in view of the potential implications, this proposal must
be examined in-depth before a position can be adopted. The Assembly
will be informed in due time of the Committee's conclusions on this
matter. The Committee of Ministers would like to take this opportunity
to indicate that it intends to interact closely with the Parliamentary Assembly
on questions concerning the Council of Europe contribution to the
democratic transition in the countries of the Mediterranean basin.
