27.04.09

OPENING STATEMENT

OF MR LLUĺS MARIA DE PUIG

PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

APRIL 2009 PART-SESSION

(Strasbourg, Monday, 27 April 2009, 11h30 a.m.)

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished members,

Just a week ago, the United Nations conference referred to as “Durban II” gave the floor to warlike remarks tainted with racism and negationism.

Some of those present left the hall, others did not even attend. But there were also those who applauded.

Fortunately the next day the countries present succeeded in agreeing on a declaration.

Opinions are divided as to whether this conference was a failure or a success.

From the standpoint of the values and principles of our organisation, the Council of Europe, I would be inclined to say both.

It was a failure in so far as the conference demonstrated that hatred, intolerance and destructive urges are not airy notions. They are delivered from the most important international forums and are even the basis of a state policy. They persist despite the determination that has been the driving force of all the democratic movements since the Second World War, a determination to eradicate the outrages which occurred as a result of this self-same hatred.

But the conference was also a success of the countries with a firm belief in the method of dialogue and in the possibility of reaching agreement above and beyond political contingencies.

That is precisely what we try to do here in the Council of Europe.

This method is all the more necessary in that the evil which we must fight worldwide is displaying itself ever more undisguised and expressing itself more and more violently. Suffice it to take the example of the economic crisis, or the effects of global warming.

My dear colleagues,

This part-session is special in being shorter than usual, but it is highly concentrated as regards its agenda and very intense as regards the issues to be addressed.

The placing of the consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia on the agenda for a third consecutive part-session shows, alas, how slow and arduous it is to make progress. There have been a few positive signs to the extent that the Bureau’s ad hoc committee on dialogue between the Georgian and Russian delegations has succeeded in having the two delegations seated at the same table. But while consultations are in hand to see what will ensue from this committee, the humanitarian situation on the ground is dreadful and thousands of people continue to suffer and wrongfully pay the price for a political conflict not their own.

While the conflict and the problems between the two countries is far from being settled, a further conflict has broken out within Moldova. We are all deeply concerned over the allegations of ill-treatment of demonstrators held by the authorities, violations of freedom of speech and the right to information, and electoral fraud. This state of affairs must be remedied with all speed. Only a prosperous and democratic Moldova can truly serve its citizens, as well as guaranteeing a just settlement of the Transnistrian conflict.

The democratic advances in other countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine also remain hesitant. The Assembly’s Monitoring Committee as well as all other interested bodies of the Council of Europe, for example the Venice Commission, will have further considerable work to do in order that democracy, human rights and rule of law take root in those countries.

Dear friends,

Later today we shall have a small ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of our organisation. These 60 years reflect the entire history of Europe, with its leaps forward and its moments of relapse. Yet everything in this history goes to show that confrontation leads nowhere, that the will to make one’s own law and own truth prevail by force causes nothing but misfortunes, and that concern to put one’s personal interests before common interests serves nobody’s interest in the end.

I therefore hope that during this part-session we may succeed in putting aside what separates us and devote our efforts to what unites us. Our organisation cannot afford to remain a mere reflection of Europe’s past. The future of Europe must also be our future.

I therefore wish you a fruitful week of proceedings whether in committee or in plenary session, for the good of all our countries and also for the good of our institution.