PACE President calls for an end to all violence in Gaza
[05/01/2009]PACE President, Lluís Maria de Puig, called for an end to all violence in Gaza. He condemned the rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel by the Hamas movement and the air strikes by Israel on Gaza leading to a disproportionate number of casualties. “Violence, destruction and death will never resolve the Middle East problem. On the contrary, they will lead to more violence and death. The only solution is a political one: renewing the ceasefire, dialogue and negotiations. The Assembly, which has always stood for peace and human rights, cannot accept the deadly escalation of the last hours”.(more..)
President
2009: the year of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Council of Europe
[23/12/2008]“The Council of Europe was created 60 years ago with the aim of achieving greater unity between its members. Its core objective is to preserve and promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The coming year, 2009, is an opportunity to mark this anniversary and to look towards the future and the challenges it brings" stated Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, Lluís Maria De Puig, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, and Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.(more..)
Monitoring
Charging persons for political motivation is ‘unacceptable’: PACE committee demands suspension of Armenian delegation's voting rights
[18/12/2008]Declaring it “unacceptable” that persons could be charged and deprived of their liberty for political motivation in Armenia in relation to the events of 1 and 2 March 2008, the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) yesterday recommended suspending the voting rights of Armenia’s eight-member delegation to the Assembly until the authorities “have clearly demonstrated their political will to resolve this issue.” The co-rapporteurs would visit the country in January 2009, with a view to reporting back to the Committee on the first day of the January 2009 part-session on any progress with respect to the release of these persons.(more..)
PACE co-rapporteurs concerned about the possibility of fresh hostilities between Georgia and Russia
[17/12/2008]The two PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs on the consequences of the war between Russia and Georgia have expressed serious concern that the escalation of tensions and provocations along the administrative borders could lead to “renewed clashes or an outbreak of hostilities” between the two member states. In a preliminary draft explanatory memorandum made public today by PACE’s Monitoring Committee, meeting in Paris, Luc van den Brande (Belgium, EPP/CD) and Mátyás Eörsi (Hungary, ALDE) called for access for international monitors to South Ossetia and Abkhazia.(more..)
