2004 Session - Fourth Part
Strasbourg, 4–8 October

Urgent debate on terrorism
The situation in the Chechen Republic

Monaco accession ceremony


An urgent debate on the challenge of terrorism in Council of Europe member states as well as a joint debate on the political, human rights and humanitarian situation in the Chechen Republic are among highlights of the PACE session. Other items due for debate include the functioning of democratic institutions in Serbia and Montenegro and in Azerbaijan, the honouring of obligations and commitments by Armenia, as well as women’s participation in elections.

Guest speakers include Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Crown Prince Albert of Monaco – who is due to address the parliamentarians just before the ceremony for Monaco’s accession – and the President of the new Pan-African Parliament Gertrude Mongella. Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, is due to participate in a debate on global warming. The annual enlarged debate on the OECD and the world economy will take place in the presence of its Deputy Secretary-General Berglind Asgeirsdottir. The Director General of the World Trade Organization Supachai Panitchpakdi will address parliamentarians during a debate on the Doha Development Agenda: world trade at a crossroads.

The Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister and Chairman of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers Jan Petersen, the Organisation’s Secretary General Terry Davis, the President of its Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Giovanni Di Stasi and the President of the “Venice Commission” Antonio La Pergola will also address PACE. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Alvaro Gil-Robles will take part in the debate on the situation in the Chechen Republic. The first ever meeting of women members of the Assembly is also due to take place on the fringe of the session (Tuesday 5 October).

Peter Schieder, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, will give a press conference on Monday 4 October at 11 a.m. (Room 1). Other press conferences will be announced on the spot.
 

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Order of Business and tabled reports

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Press Conferences

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The Session (The information bulletin)

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Adopted texts

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Verbatim reports

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Redebeiträge in Deutsch

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Discorsi pronunciati in Italiano

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Sitting Minutes


Guest speakers

  H.S.H. Crown Prince Albert of Monaco
 


The ceremony for the accession of the Principality of Monaco to the Council of Europe will take place in Strasbourg on Tuesday 5 October.  HSH Hereditary Prince Albert of Monaco will address the Assembly on this occasion.  Born on 14 March 1958, his Highness is the son of HSH Prince Rainier III, Louis Henri-Maxence-Bertrand, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, born in Monaco on 31 May 1923, and the late Princess Grace-Patricia Kelly, born in Philadelphia (USA) on 12 November 1929.
 

  Curriculum vitae
The Principality of Monaco
 

Terry Davis
Secretary General of the Council of Europe
 


On June 2004, PACE elected
Terry Davis to serve a 5-year term as Secretary General of the Council of Europe. He took up office on 1st September 2004. M. Davis has been a PACE member for twelve years, and Chairman of the Socialist Groupe since 2002. He has worked as the rapporteur on the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh for the Assembly's Political Affairs Committee for the last three years.
 

  Curriculum vitae
The Council of Europe
 

Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Prime Minister of Turkey
 


Recep Tayyip Erdogan became prime minister of Turkey on 14 March 2003. The leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Erdogan took over the prime minister's post from his party deputy, Abdullah Gul, who headed the government following the AKP's victory in the November 2002 elections.
 

  Curriculum vitae
The Republic of Turkey
 

Donald Johnston
Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
 


Upon taking office as Secretary General of the OECD on 1st June 1996, Donald J. Johnston moves from a career as a lawyer and politician who spent 10 years in the Canadian Parliament and served as a Cabinet Minister in a number of senior portfolios. Mr Johnston was member of Parliament from 1978 to 1998.
 

  Curriculum vitae
The OECD
 

Gertrude Mongella
President of the Pan-African Parliament
 


Gertrude Mongella (Tanzania) was elected the first President of the Pan-African Parliament of the African Union at its inaugural session in Addis Ababa on 18 March 2004. Ambassador Mongella acted as Secretary General of the fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.

 

  Curriculum vitae
The Pan-African Parliament
 

Supachai Panitchpakdi
Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
 


Supachai Panitchpakdi took up his appointment on 1 September 2002 for three years. He began his professional career at the Bank of Thailand in 1974, where he was a principal figure in devising measures to bail out troubled financial institutions in the early 1980s. He became in 1992 Deputy Prime Minister entrusted with oversight of the country's economic and trade policy making.
 

  Curriculum vitae
The WTO
 

Jan Petersen
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers
 


In
May 2004, Norway assumed the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe's executive body for six months. Mr Petersen has been a member of the Norvegian Parliament (Stortinget) since 1981. A
member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, he chaired its Political Committee and was also the Head of the Norvegian delegation. He is the Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2001.
 

  Curriculum vitae
The Norvegian Presidency to the Committee of Ministers

 



Special Files

  Turkey: Coe executive welcomes PACE decision to end monitoring
 


In its reply to PACE Recommendation 1662 (2004) adopted on 22 June this year, the Committee of Ministers points out that the text was brought to the attention of member governments. It praises the progress achieved by Turkey since 2001 and welcomes the decision of the Assembly to close the monitoring procedure with respect to Turkey. 

The Committee in particular refers to the abolition of the death penalty and ratification of Protocol 6 (ECHR) and the significant constitutional and legislative reforms undertaken.  It welcomes the ongoing commitment of the Turkish authorities to apply and consolidate the reforms adopted so far and also to adopt further measures to ensure full compliance with Turkey’s different obligations and commitments, in particular under the European Convention on Human Rights.  Fully aware of its responsibility to assist Turkey in the member state’s efforts to meet its statutory obligations, the Committee of Ministers will continue and/or initiate cooperation activities in all fields raised by the Assembly.

Recommendation 1662 (2004) on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Turkey

Reply from the Committee of Ministers to Recommendation 1662 (2004)

Resolution 1380 (2004) on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Turkey  

Resolution 1381 (2004) on the implementation of decisions of the European Court of Human Rights by Turkey

Press release (22/06/04): Council of Europe parliamentarians vote to end monitoring of Turkey


 

  Combatting terrorism
 


7 September
2004
Statement of the Standing Committee on the the terrorist attack in Beslan and the need to strengthen international co-operation against terrorism

29 January 2004
Recommendation 1644 (2004) on terrorism: a threat to democracies

Council of Europe’s guidelines on human rights and the fight against terrorism

Council of Europe conventions aimed at combating terrorism
 

   

Monaco accession

 

24 June 2004
The way for Monaco to the Council of Europe is open

6 May 2004
Assembly Bureau grants Monaco Parliament special guest status


27 April 2004
Conditional green light for Monaco to join the Council of Europe

27 April 2004
Opinion 250 : "The Principality of Monaco's application for membership of the Council of Europe"

27 April 2004
Speech of Stéphane Valéri, President of the National Council of Monaco

8 April 2004
Report 10128 : "The Principality of Monaco's application for membership of the Council of Europe"