Doc. 10469

8 March 2005

Establishment of a European remembrance centre for victims of forced population movements and ethnic cleansing

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Bindig and others

1.       Recalling that at its January Plenary Session a draft recommendation to the Committee of Ministers to take action for the establishment of a European remembrance centre for victims of forced population movements and ethnic cleansing, under the auspices of the Council of Europe, failed to gain the necessary support;

2.       Recalling that at the same Session it adopted Recommendation 1693 (2005) on the Third Summit where the Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers include for consideration by Heads of State and Government, inter alia, the question of commemorating formally the sufferings of many Europeans resulting from forced population movements and ethnic cleansing during the last century with a decision in principle to create a centre of European remembrance for the victims of such evils;

3.       Bearing in mind the gravity of forced population movements in Europe, the human rights and humanitarian aspects involved, the geographical dimension of these tragic events and the intensity of the current debate in some Council of Europe member states;

4.       Considering that the establishment of a European remembrance centre for victims of forced population movements and ethnic cleansing (herewith "the Centre") which should remind Europeans of their history of forced migration and should not be concerned with the issue of compensation for the loss of property resulting from forced population movements could favour reconciliation, act as an instrument of conflict prevention and sensitize public opinion to the personal tragedy of individuals who, as part of a group, had lo leave the countries or regions where they were settled due to fear of persecution or because they were physically removed;

5.       The Assembly decides to reconsider the issue on the basis of the report by Mr Mats Einarsson (Sweden, UEL), Doc. 10378, and urges the Member States of the Council of Europe to take appropriate action in order to promote a common approach to the question of the establishment of "the Centre", under the auspices of the Council of Europe.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed ¹:

BINDIG, Rudolf, Germany, SOC

AGUIAR, Manuela, Portugal, EPP/CD

BRAUN, Márton, Hungary, EPP/CD

CILEVIČS, Boriss, Latvia, SOC

CORTAJARENA, Elvira, Spain, SOC

de ZULUETA, Tana, Italy, SOC

DENDIAS, Nikolaos, Greece, EPP/CD

EINARSSON, Mats, Sweden, UEL

ETHERINGTON, Bill, United Kingdom, SOC

FERNÁNDEZ AGUILAR, Adolfo, Spain, EPP/CD

ILAŞCU, Ilie, Romania, NR

KATSELI, Eleonora, Greece, SOC

KOVAČIČ, Dimitrij, Slovenia, EPP/CD

OCCHETTO, Achille, Italy, SOC

PUCHE, Gabino, Spain, EPP/CD

WILKINSON, John, United Kingdom, EDG

WOHLWEND, Renate, Liechtenstein, EPPE/CD

WRAY, James, United Kingdom, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group