FOR THE ATTENTION OF MEMBERS OF THE POLITICAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

 

Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly

Synopsis No. 2001 / 143

18 December 2001

The Political Affairs Committee, meeting in Paris on 12 and 13 December 2001, under the chairmanship of Mr Terry Davis (United Kingdom, SOC):

As regards:

• Situation in Cyprus (Rapporteur: Mr Bársony, Hungary, SOC): considered a draft report, amended and adopted a draft Resolution after an exchange of views with the participation of representatives of Turkish Cypriot political forces, and confirmed its decision to propose a debate during the January 2002 part-session;

• Situation in the Middle East (Rapporteur: Lord Kilclooney of Armagh, United Kingdom, EPP/CD): held an exchange of views on the latest developments with the participation of a member of the Knesset, regretted the absence of representatives of the Palestinian Legislative Council who were unable to attend due to difficulties in leaving the region, and adopted a Declaration on the Middle East Conflict;

• Conflict in the Chechen Republic (Rapporteur Lord Judd, SOC): heard an oral report on the recent visit to the area and on the seminar held in Strasbourg with Chechen representatives, and confirmed its decision to present a report at the January part-session;

• Request for Council of Europe membership: Bosnia and Herzegovina (Rapporteur: Mr Surjan, Hungary, EPP/CD): took note of the letters sent by the highest authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly by which they declared their intention to honour the commitments laid down in the accession procedure;

• Situation in Belarus (Rapporteur: Mr Behrendt, Germany, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur, was informed that the Bureau had authorised the visit of a delegation of the Committee to that country in early  2002 and decided to appoint the members of that delegation at a forthcoming meeting, asked the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly to contact the Lithuanian authorities with a view to exploring the possibilities of organising a seminar with the Parliament of Belarus in Vilnius next year;

• Future of the European institutions (Rapporteur: Mr van der Linden, Netherlands, EPP/CD): heard a statement by the Rapporteur, held an exchange of views on the possible scope of the report, asked the Rapporteur to make quick progress with his report taking into consideration important political deadlines which were approaching;

• Situation in Algeria (Rapporteur: Mr Atkinson, United Kingdom, EDG): heard a statement by the Rapporteur updating the Committee on new developments, was informed that the Chairman had sent a letter to Mr Si Afif, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations and Co-operation of the Popular National Assembly, proposing ways of pursuing the dialogue;

• Committee of Ministers’ replies on Assembly texts emanating from the Political Affairs Committee: heard statements by the rapporteurs analysing the replies and giving up-to-date information on new developments on:

•  the situation in Kosovo

• the situation in the “former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”

• democracies facing terrorism

• Situation in Georgia (Rapporteur: Mrs Lörcher, Germany, SOC): heard statements the Rapporteur, and Mr Adamia, Head of the Georgian delegation, expressed the wish that a report should be presented to the Assembly no later than the June part-session, and authorised the Rapporteur to visit the country;

• Stability Pact in South East Europe (Rapporteur: Mr Bársony, Hungary, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur, took note of a detailed study prepared by the Directorate General of Political Affairs of the Council of Europe and invited the Rapporteur to make an oral statement at its next meeting on the results of the Working Table I meeting in which he would participate on 17 and 18 December 2001 in Skopje;

• Relations with the United Nations: heard a report by Mr Bergqvist, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Non-Member Countries on the meeting held by the Sub-Committee at the UN (4 – 6 December 2001) and on its participation in the General Assembly debate on co-operation between the United Nations and regional and other organisations, and took note of an UN Resolution adopted on this occasion;

•  Work Programme: 

• decided to have a thorough discussion at its next meeting on new references to the Committee, and took note that a Rapporteur for an opinion must be appointed for the report that the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights is intending to present to the Assembly at the January part-session by urgent procedure on the fight against terrorism;

• invited its Chairman to ask the Bureau to grant a derogation to Rule 24.3 of the Rules of Procedure concerning deadlines for the presentation of the following reports:

• Situation in Algeria

• Parliamentary control of International Institutions

• Meeting in Mexico:  took note of the arrangements, programme and draft agenda of the meeting to be held in Mexico (9 –12 January 2002). 

• Next meetings:

• Plenary Committee:

• Mexico, 9 - 12 January 2002

• Strasbourg, during the January 2002 part-session (21 - 25 January 2002)

• Paris, 1 March 2002: parliamentary hearing on positive experiences concerning autonomous regions in Europe (To be confirmed)

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Working Group on co-operation between the countries of South Caucasus: on Wednesday, 12 December 2001 a restricted working dinner took place with the participation of the Chairman of the Committee, representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia and the competent rapporteurs.  Representatives of the ICRC made a presentation on the issue of missing persons in the South Caucasus, followed by a discussion.  It was decided to pursue this matter.

Barış Perin, Marja Ruotanen, Petr Sich