TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON MIGRATION, REFUGEES AND DEMOGRAPHY

SECRETARIAT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

 

Synopsis No. 2001/079 revised (Engl. only)

28 June 2001

 

The Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography, meeting in Strasbourg on 25-26 June 2001 first with Mr Iwinski (Poland, SOC), then Mrs Vermot-Mangold (Switzerland, SOC) in the Chair:

As regards:

–            Humanitarian situation of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Chechnya (Rapporteur: Mr Iwinski, Poland, SOC): made an update of the situation and heard a report by Mr Einarsson (Sweden, UEL) and Lord Judd (United Kingdom, SOC) of the hearing on missing people in Chechnya organised by the State Duma (4 June 2001);

–            Council of Europe Development Bank: toward a Europe of greater social cohesion (Rapporteur: Mr Díaz de Mera, Spain, EPP/CD): adopted a draft opinion and two amendments to the Recommendation of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development to be tabled on behalf of the Committee;

–            Rendering more humane the procedures for expelling illegal immigrants and rejected asylum seekers (Rapporteur: Mrs Vermot-Mangold, Switzerland, SOC): heard a report by the Rapporteur on the Seminar on human rights standards applying to the holding of aliens wishing to enter a Council of Europe member state and to the enforcement of any expulsion orders (Strasbourg, 20-22 June 2001) and held an exchange of views;

–            Situation of refugees and displaced persons in Armenia and Azerbaijan (Rapporteur: Mrs Vermot-Mangold, Switzerland, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur and held an exchange of views on the conclusions of the Conference held in Baku on 17-19 May 2001;

–          Colonisation by Turkish settlers of the occupied part of Cyprus (Rapporteur: Mr Laakso, Finland, UEL): heard a report by the Rapporteur on his visit to Cyprus (7-9 March 2001) and held an exchange of views with the participation of a delegation of representatives of the political forces of the Turkish Cypriot community;

–            Population displacement in South-Eastern Europe: trends, problems and solutions (Rapporteur: Mrs Zwerver, Netherlands, SOC): approved an outline for the report and authorised the Rapporteur to conduct a fact-finding mission;

–            Meeting of the Plenary Committee in Yalta (Ukraine) on 5-6 October 2001: was informed that the Bureau did not give the authorisation to hold this meeting in 2001; confirmed its willingness to hold the meeting at the place and date agreed; instructed its Chair to write to the President of the Assembly requesting him to inform the Bureau of the Committee's position; 

–          Next meetings:         confirmed to resume its meeting on 27 and 28 June 2001.

The Sub-Committee on Refugees (of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography), meeting in Strasbourg on 26 June 2001, following the plenary meeting, with Lord Judd (United Kingdom, SOC) in the Chair:

As regards:

–            Conference on refugees and displaced persons in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Rapporteur: Mr Iwinski, Poland, SOC): held an exchange of views and decided that the conclusions of the conference on this subject, organised in cooperation with the Yugoslav Parliament, be included in a report on the situation of refugees and displaced persons in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia;

–            Priorities and future work programme: held an exchange of views;

–          Next meetings: left it to the Chair to convene the next meeting.

 

Halvor Lervik/Agnieszka Nachilo/Sonia Sirtori