General policy of the Council of Europe
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly Debate on 23rd, 24th, 25th January 1967 (17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Sittings) (see Doc. 2162, report of the political Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 25th January 1967 (20th Sitting).
The Assembly,
1. Recognising the development of important new trends in the policies of a number of European States ;
2. Convinced that the enlargement of EEC is a fundamental element in the ever closer union between all European States which is the essential aim of the Council of Europe ;
3. Welcoming the efforts by the British Government to explore the possibilities of British membership of the European Economic Community ;
4. Hoping that membership or association will be extended to the other Members of EFTA and expressing the wish that these approaches will be favourably received by all the Members of the Common Market ;
5. Holding the view that the tragic events in Vietnam should not hold up attempts to secure continued progress of the détente in East-West relations on an all-European basis ;
6. Noting with satisfaction the conciliatory spirit of the statement on foreign policy made by the Chancellor of the German Federal Republic on 13th December 1966 ;
7. Stressing the importance for Europe of following a policy which will facilitate the development of better relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and Eastern European countries ;
8. Stating that the right to self-determintion is and remains a basic tenet of the Council of Europe, and urging that in the present climate of détente no useful effort should be spared to create the conditions which would enable this principle to be applied to the German people as a whole ;
9. Observing with satisfaction the efforts of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to increase inter-German contacts in order to reduce the division between the two halves of Germany, without prejudice to the legal question of recognition ;
10. Believing that the Council of Europe, by virtue of the diverse alignments of its eighteen member countries, can play an important part in enabling its Members to compare and contrast their bilateral and multilateral policies with regard to the countries of Eastern Europe ;
11. Believing that it has a duty to stimulate the efforts of Governments and Parliaments to further policies of European co-operation and integration ;
12. Considering that the spirit of the Preamble of its Statute confers an essential role on the Council of Europe in these different matters ;
13. Convinced that only a strong and united Europe can hope to participate effectively in world affairs,
14. Considers therefore :
a that the Council of Europe should encourage the steps taken with a view to the accession or the association of Great Britain and the other EFTA countries to EEC as soon as possible ;
b that Europe has a particular responsibility for the creation and exploitation of a general climate of détente ;
c that the machinery of the Council of Europe should be utilised to a greater extent than hitherto to achieve the abovementioned aims.
