AS/MIG - Synopsis No. 2001/144

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

SECRETARIAT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

Synopsis No. 2001/144

18 December 2001

The Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography, meeting in Paris on 13-14 December 2001, with Mrs Vermot-Mangold (Switzerland, SOC), and then Mr Iwiński (Poland, SOC) in the Chair:

As regards:

-                   Situation of illegal migrants in Council of Europe member States: held a Conference with the participation of inter alia, Mr Alvaro GIL-ROBLES, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations;

-                   Round table on priorities in the field of refugees and migration: held an exchange of views with the following organsations:

-            Mr Nabil BENBEKHTI, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

-            Mrs Catherine BOURGEADE, Service Social d'Aide aux Emigrants (SSAE)

-            Mr Giorgi CHKHEIDZE, Georgian Young Lawyers' Association

-            Mr Moncef EL BAHRI, Fédération des Associations de Solidarité avec les Travailleurs Immigrés (FASTI) (France)

-            Mrs Svetlana GANNUSHKINA, "Memorial" Human Rights Centre (Russia)

-            Mr Eric GEORGE, UNITED for Intercultural Action (Netherlands/Pays-Bas)

-            Mrs Bernadette HETIER, Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l'amitié entre les peuples (MRAP) (France)

-            Mr Khalil JEMMAH, Amis et Familles des Victimes de l'Immigration Clandestine (Morocco)

-            Mr Pavel KELLY-TYCHTL, Organisation for Aid to Refugees (OPU)

-            Mr KOSENKO, International Organization for Migration (IOM)

-            Mr Jean-Pierre LEROY, Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l'amitié entre les peuples (MRAP) (France)

-            Mrs Ann Mary OLSEN, Danish Refugee Council (DRC)

-            Mrs Doris PESCHKE, Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME)

-            Mrs Anne-Cécile RENOUARD, Association for the Study of the World Refugee Problem (AWR)

-            Mrs Irena RZEPLINSKA, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights

-            Mr Dennis Sammut, LINKS

-            Mr Peter SCHATZER, International Organization for Migration (IOM)

-            Mrs Nele VERBRUGGEN, Platform for Information and Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) (Belgium)

-            Mr Bruno ZIMMERMANN, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC);

-                   Emergency humanitarian aid for the displaced Kurdish population of Turkey (Rapporteur: Mr Connor, Ireland, EPP/CD): heard a report by the Rapporteur on his visit to Turkey (8-13 October 2001), considered a Memorandum and agreed to modify the title of the report to read as follows: "The humanitarian situation of the displaced Kurdish population in Turkey";

-                   Humanitarian situation in Chechnya (Rapporteur: Mr Iwiński, Poland, SOC): heard a report by Lord Judd (United Kingdom, SOC) on the visit by the Joint Working Group on Chechnya to Moscow and Chechnya (1-6 December 2001), made an up-date and held an exchange of views on the humanitarian situation in the region, and authorised the Rapporteur to carry out a fact-finding visit to Chechnya and Ingushetia;

-                   Vocational training of young asylum seekers in host countries (Rapporteur: Mrs Zwerver, Netherlands, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur;

-                   Creation of a charter of intent against clandestine migration (Rapporteur: Mr Wilkinson, United Kingdom, EDG): considered a Memorandum;

-                   Situation of refugees and displaced persons in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Rapporteur: Mr Cilevičs, Latvia, SOC): approved an outline for a report and authorised the Rapporteur's visit to the region;

-                   Receiving conditions and capacities in European seaports for asylum seekers (Rapporteur: Mr Gaber, Russia, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur and approved his proposals concerning the preparation of the report;

-                   Activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (Rapporteur: Mr Slutsky, Russia, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur;

-                   Seminar on the repatriation and integration of the Tatars of Crimea, Yalta, 5-6 October 2001: heard a report by Mr Cilevičs (Latvia, SOC), Chairman of the ad hoc Sub-Committee;

-                   Hearing on the specific situation of young migrants, Budapest, 15-16 November 2001:heard a report by Mr Yáñez-Barnuevo (Spain, SOC), General Rapporteur;

-                   Priorities and work programme 2002: held an exchange of views, decided to accept the invitation by the Russian delegation to organise a Committee meeting in the Voronej region in 2002, and agreed to postpone the meeting in Erevan (Armenia) until 2003;

-                   Seminar on the participation of Roma in Europe and 12^th meeting of the Specialist Group on Roma/Gypsies, Helsinki, 22-24 October 2001: heard a report by Mr Tkáč (Slovakia, EDG);

-                   Appointment of representatives: appointed Mrs de Zulueta (Italy, SOC) to represent the Committee at the meeting of the International Planned Parenthood Federation – European Network in Moscow on 17-18 December 2001, no expenses to be borne by the Parliamentary Assembly;

-                   Next meetings: confirmed the following dates and places:

–            Strasbourg, during the 1^st part of the session 2002 (21-25.1.2002)

–            Paris, 5 March 2002, Plenary Committee (to be confirmed)

–            Strasbourg, during the 2^nd part of the session 2002 (22-26.4.2002)

–            Lucerne, 27 May 2002 (in the framework of the Standing Committee, 27-29 May 2002), Plenary Committee.

Halvor LERVIK / Agnieszka NACHILO / Sonia SIRTORI