Motion for a resolution | Doc. 12667 | 23 June 2011

The accession of non-member States to Council of Europe conventions

Signatories: Mr Ilyas UMAKHANOV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Lord Donald ANDERSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Natalia BURYKINA, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS, Latvia, SOC ; Mr Valeriy FEDOROV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Jean-Charles GARDETTO, Monaco, EPP/CD ; Mr Sabir HAJIYEV, Azerbaijan, SOC ; Mr Serhiy HOLOVATY, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Oleg LEBEDEV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Patrick MORIAU, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Valery PARFENOV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Alexander POCHINOK, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Ziyad SABSABI, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Samad SEYIDOV, Azerbaijan, EDG ; Mr Sergey SOBKO, Russian Federation, UEL ; Mr Valeriy SUDARENKOV, Russian Federation, SOC ; Mr Mehmet TEKELİOĞLU, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Ms Tatiana VOLOZHINSKAYA, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Piotr WACH, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Vladimir ZHIDKIKH, Russian Federation, EDG

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

Lately we have been witnessing an extremely positive political process of the more and more active accession of non-member states to Council of Europe conventions.

The Council of Europe welcomes this process. The participation in the conventions, which is now open for many states of America, Asia and Africa, means first of all the enhancement of the system of values that are a political landmark in the activities of the Council of Europe and are, in their essence, of global significance. The dissemination of the system of conventions designed in the framework of the Council of Europe also promotes the principles of the Rule of Law and of human rights. The Council of Europe should in every possible way encourage the practice of increasing the number of accessions to the conventions allowing the participation of non-member states.

In this context, it would be important for the Parliamentary Assembly to know how the participation of non-member states in Council of Europe conventions contribues to promoting the universal values of this organisation. The Assembly should also pay special attention to the countries of the Middle East, Southern Mediterranean and Central Asia, particularly given its recent initiative on the Partner for Democracy status and draft a report on this issue.