Assistance to patients at end of life and detentions in Guantánamo
Bay to be debated at PACE Spring session

Strasbourg, 19.04.2005 – Debates on assistance to patients at end of
life and the lawfulness of detentions by the United States in
Guantánamo Bay as well as the freedom of the press and the working
conditions of journalists in risk zones (*) are among highlights of
the Spring Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE), which takes place in Strasbourg from 25 to 29 April
2005.

There have also been requests for a current affairs debate on the
European constitutional treaty and an urgent debate on the
constitutional reform process in Armenia.

Luxembourg Prime Minister and EU Council President Jean-Claude
Juncker, Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic and Spanish
Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos are due to address the
Assembly.

Other subjects for debate include the need for an international
response to Iran’s nuclear programme, discrimination against women in
the workforce and the workplace and discrimination against women and
girls in sport, which will take place in the presence of Paralympic
swimming champion Béatrice Hess. There will also be a joint debate on
Europe’s growing energy vulnerability and on energy systems and the
environment, with the participation of the Executive Director of the
International Energy Agency Claude Mandil.

Polish Foreign Affairs Minister Adam Daniel Rotfeld, who chairs the
Committee of Ministers, will present the Communication from the
Committee of Ministers to the Assembly.

* * * * *

The following is a provisional order of business with proposed
modifications. The Assembly itself will decide its final order of
business on the first day of the session.

./..

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(*) A request has been made for an urgent debate on this subject,
which must be approved by the Assembly at the opening of the session.

Monday 25 April
* Election of Vice-Presidents of the Assembly with respect to Moldova
and Russia
* The rights of children in institutions: follow-up to Recommendation
1601 (2003) of the Parliamentary Assembly

Tuesday 26 April
* Statement by Miguel Angel Moratinos, Minister for Foreign Affairs
and Co-operation of Spain
* Lawfulness of detentions by the United States in Guantánamo Bay
* Address by Svetozar Marovic, President of Serbia and Montenegro
* Joint debate: Europe’s growing energy vulnerability and energy
systems and the environment; statement by Claude Mandil, Executive
Director of the International Energy Agency

* Iran’s nuclear programme: need for international response

Wednesday 27 April
* Election of a judge to the European Court of Human Rights with
respect to Latvia
* Assistance to patients at end of life
* Address by Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg and
President of the Council of the European Union
* Discrimination against women in the workforce and the workplace
* Discrimination against women and girls in sport
* Migration and integration: a challenge and an opportunity for
Europe

Thursday 28 April
* Possible urgent debate
* Communication from the Committee of Ministers to the Parliamentary
Assembly presented by Adam Daniel Rotfeld, Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Poland and Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers

* Possible current affairs debate
* Protection and assistance for separated children seeking asylum

Friday 29 April
* Referendums: towards good practices in Europe
* Sea pollution

Practical information

René van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, will
give a press conference on Monday 25 April at 11 a.m. (Room 1). Other
press conferences will be announced on the spot.

See the Assembly’s website, , for further
details.

Additional information may also be found on the Council of Europe web
portal,

Contact:
Communication Unit of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
Tel. +33 3 88 41 31 93 Fax +33 3 90 21 41 34; e-mail:
pace.com@coe.int

Press Release
Parliamentary Assembly Communication Unit
Ref: 205a05
Tel: +33 3 88 41 31 93
Fax :+33 3 90 21 41 34
pace.com@coe.int
internet:

The Parliamentary Assembly brings together 630 members from the
national parliaments of the 46 member states.
President: René van der Linden (Netherlands, EPP/CD); Secretary
General of the Assembly: Bruno Haller.
Political Groups: SOC (Socialist Group); EPP/CD (Group of the
European People’s Party); LDR (Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’
Group);

EDG (European Democratic Group); UEL (Group of the Unified European
Left).

–Boundary_(ID_Vg1UK/UP4FG85iy/dKZCrQ)–