Council of Europe parliamentarians debate monitoring of Russia as
well as media and terrorism at their summer session
Strasbourg, 13.06.2005 – An assessment of Russia’s honouring of its
Council of Europe obligations and commitments and a report on the
media and terrorism which calls on journalists to refrain from
disseminating shocking terrorist images are among highlights of the
summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE), which takes place in Strasbourg from 20 to 24 June 2005.
The Assembly will also look beyond the Council of Europe’s 46 member
states, with a possible current affairs debate on the situation in
the Republics of Central Asia (*) and a debate on the situation in
the Middle East, as well as a report on the disappearance of women
and girls in Mexico (a Council of Europe observer state).
Following the recent proposal to create an “Asian Parliamentary
Assembly” on the model of PACE, Pakistan National Assembly Speaker
Chaudhry Amir Hussain and Philippines Congress Speaker José de
Venecia – representing the 40-member Association of Asian Parliaments
for Peace – will take the floor to elaborate on the initiative.
Other invited guest speakers include the Prime Minister of Bosnia and
Herzegovina Adnan Terzic, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer and EBRD President Jean Lemierre, who will take part in a
debate on the Bank’s contribution to economic development in central
and eastern Europe.
Portuguese Foreign Minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral, who currently
chairs the Committee of Ministers, will present the Committee’s
communication to the Assembly and reply to parliamentarians’
questions.
Other highlights include a debate on the current situation in Kosovo,
a joint debate on the functioning of democratic institutions in
Azerbaijan and on political prisoners in the country, as well as a
possible urgent debate on the constitutional reform process in
Armenia (*). A second urgent debate has been proposed on follow-up to
the Third Summit of the Council of Europe (*), with a statement by
the Organisation’s Secretary General Terry Davis.
(*) Requests for urgent debates and a current affairs debate must be
approved by the Assembly at the opening of the session.
* * *
./..
The following is a provisional order of business with proposed
modifications. The Assembly itself will decide its final order of
business at the opening of the session.
Monday 20 June
* Media and terrorism
* The environment and the Millennium Development Goals
* The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the realisation
of the Millennium Development Goals
Tuesday 21 June
* Statements by Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir
Hussain, President of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace
(AAPP), and by Philippines Congress Speaker José de Venecia,
Chairperson of the Advisory Council of the AAPP
* Contribution of the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) to economic development in central and eastern
Europe and statement by EBRD President Jean Lemierre
* Address by Bosnia and Herzegovina Prime Minister Adnan Terzic
* Possible current affairs debate: situation in the Republics of
Central Asia
* Situation in the Middle East
* Current situation in Kosovo
* Disappearance and murder of a great number of women and girls in
Mexico
Wednesday 22 June
* Honouring of obligations and commitments by the Russian Federation
* Communication to the Assembly presented by Portuguese Foreign
Minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral, Chairperson of the Committee of
Ministers
* Joint debate on the functioning of democratic institutions in
Azerbaijan and follow-up to Resolution 1359 (2004) on political
prisoners in Azerbaijan
Thursday 23 June
* Possible urgent debate: follow-up to the Third Summit, and
statement by Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis
* Possible urgent debate: constitutional reform process in Armenia
* Address by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
* Democratic oversight of the security sector in member states
Friday 24 June
* Abolition of restrictions on the right to vote
* Improving the response to mental health needs in Europe
* * *
Practical information
René van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, will
give a press conference on Monday 20 June at 11 a.m. in 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:
[email protected]
Press Release
Parliamentary Assembly Communication Unit
Ref: 323a05
Tel: +33 3 88 41 31 93
Fax :+33 3 90 21 41 34
[email protected]
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).
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