Doc. 10589

20 June 2005

Progress report of the Bureau of the Assembly and of the Standing Committee
(29 April – 20 June 2005)

Bureau of the Assembly

Rapporteur: Mr Marcel Glesener, Luxembourg,Group of the European People’s Party

1.       INTRODUCTION

1.       The Bureau met on 29 April in Strasbourg, on 6 June in Lisbon and on 20 June in Strasbourg. The Standing Committee met on 6 June in Lisbon.

2.       FUNCTIONING OF THE ASSEMBLY

A.       PROGRESS REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF THE ASSEMBLY AND OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE (29 APRIL – 20 JUNE 2005)

2.       On 29 April, the Bureau appointed Mr Glesener (Luxembourg, EPP/CD) as rapporteur.

3.       On 20 June, the Bureau approved the Progress report covering the period from 29 April to 20 June 2005.

B.       FOLLOW-UP TO THE 2^ND PART OF THE 2005 ORDINARY SESSION (25-29 APRIL 2005)

4.       On 29 April, the Bureau:

i.       Current affairs debate on “the European Constitutional Treaty”: invited the Political Affairs Committee to consider a possible follow-up;

ii. Follow-up to be given to the texts adopted:

a.       Resolution 1433 (2005) on “Lawfulness of detentions by the United States in Guantanamo Bay”: took note that the President will raise this matter during his visit to Washington in September 2005;

b.       Resolution 1436 (2005) on “Iran’s nuclear programme: need for international response”: asked the Political Affairs Committee to discuss the follow-up to be given to paragraph 12 of this Resolution calling for the promotion of democratic values, full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and an open society in Iran through parliamentary dialogue;

iii.       Third Summit (Warsaw, 16-17 May 2005): agreed that the Assembly will be represented by the Presidential Committee, the rapporteur of the Political Affairs Committee on the Third Summit and, if included in the national delegation to the Summit, by the rapporteur of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development for the Assembly’s opinions on the Council of Europe and Parliamentary Assembly’s budgets for 2006.

C.       3^RD PART OF THE 2005 ORDINARY SESSION (20-24 JUNE 2005)

5.       On 29 April, the Bureau adopted the draft agenda and drew up the draft order of business.

6.       On 6 June, the Bureau:

i.       requests for debates under urgent procedure:

a.       “Constitutional reform process in Armenia”: recommended to the Assembly to hold this urgent debate and to refer the matter to the Monitoring Committee for report and to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for oral opinion;

b.       “Follow-up to the Third Summit”: recommended to the Assembly to hold this urgent debate and to refer the matter to the Political Affairs Committee for report;

ii.       request for a current affairs debate on “the situation in the Republics of Central Asia”: recommended to the Assembly to hold this current affairs debate;

iii.       updated the draft agenda and the draft order of business;

iv.       decided to limit the speaking time for speakers in debates on Tuesday 21 June, Wednesday 22 June and possibly on Thursday 23 June in the morning to 4 minutes;

v.       Joint Committee (Thursday 23 June at 6.30 pm): approved the draft agenda.

7.       On 20 June, the Bureau:

Ø updated the draft order of business;

Ø was informed that the socialist group, which requested the current affairs debate on “the Situation in the Republics of Central Asia”, would propose a representative to open the debate.

D.       MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE (LISBON, 6 JUNE 2005)

8.       On 29 April, the Bureau approved the draft agenda and took note of the draft programme.

9.       On 6 June, the Bureau took note of the updated draft agenda.

10.       On 6 June 2005, the Standing Committee:

Ø heard a welcome address by Mr Jaime Gama, Speaker of the Portuguese Parliament;

Ø held an exchange of views with Mr Diogo Freitas Do Amaral, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal and Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe;

Ø ratified the credentials of new members of the Assembly submitted by the delegations of Germany and Portugal;

Ø ratified the changes in the composition of general Assembly committees in respect of the delegations of Germany, Liechtenstein and Portugal;

Ø took note of the changes to the agenda and draft order of business agreed by the Bureau for the June 2005 Part-Session of the Parliamentary Assembly (20-24 June 2005);

Ø held a debate on the Progress report of the Assembly’s monitoring procedure (May 2004-May 2005) (Rapporteur: Mr Frunda, Romania, EPP/CD).

E.       ADOPTED TEXTS

11.       On 6 June in Lisbon, the Standing Committee, on behalf of the Assembly, adopted the following texts.

Recommendation 1705 (2005)        on Recent political developments in “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” in the context of regional stability;

Opinion No. 256 (2005)       on the budgets of the Council of Europe for the financial year 2006;

Opinion No. 257 (2005)       on the expenditure of the Assembly for the financial year 2006;

Resolution 1440 (2005)       on Recent political developments in “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” in the context of regional stability;

Resolution 1441 (2005)        on Development challenges in Europe’s islands;

Resolution 1442 (2005)        on the right to strike in essential services: economic implications;

Resolution 1443 (2005)       on the Challenge of credentials of individual members of a national delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly on substantive grounds;

Resolution 1444 (2005)        on the Protection of European deltas;

Resolution 1445 (2005)        on the increase in the number of seats of the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men to 83;

Resolution 1446 (2005)        on Co-operation and sustainable development in the Adriatic basin;

Resolution 1447 (2005)       on requests for current affairs and urgent debates (Rules 50.2 and 52.2 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure);

Resolution 1448 (2005)       on the Deadline for tabling amendments.

F.       REFERENCES AND TRANSMISSIONS TO COMMITTEES

12.       On 29 April, the Bureau approved the following proposals, which were ratified by the Assembly the same day:

i.       references:

Ø Doc. 10517

Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr R. Huseynov and others

Threat for the Iranian cultural heritage being a precious piece of the world civilization, to the Committee on Culture, Science and Education, for information

Ø Doc. 10519

Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Preda and others

Management of solid urban waste, to the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs, for information

Ø Doc. 10522

Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Jakavonis and others

Disposal and storage of spent nuclear fuel and long-lived radioactive nuclear waste, to the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs, for report

Ø Doc. 10523

Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Margelov and others

Inadmissibility of anti-Semitism in the social and political life of the Council of Europe member states, to the Political Affairs Committee, for information

Ø Doc. 10524

Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Fenechiu and others

The Budapest – Odessa Corridor: the solution to a major problem in the transportation networks in Central and Eastern Europe, to the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development, for information

Ø Doc. 10525

Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Schmied and others

The environment and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, to the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs, for report

Ø Doc. 10526

Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Zingeris and others

A series of travelling exhibitions of major European works of art, to the Committee on Culture, Science and Education, for information

Ø Doc. 10527

Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr McNamara and others

Anti-terrorism legislation in the United Kingdom, to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, to be taken into account in the preparation of the report on “Respect for human rights in the fight against terrorism”

Ø Doc. 10528

Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr McNamara and others

Prosecution of offences falling within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, for report;

Ø Doc. 10535

Motion for a recommendation by Mr van den Brande and others

The Council of Europe and the European neighbourhood policy of the European Union, to the Political Affairs Committee, for report

Ø Decision of the Bureau

Interpretation of Article 15 of the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe, to the Committee on Rules of Procedure and Immunities, for report;

ii.       requests to extend references:

Ø Doc. 9775

      Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Iwiński and others

      Relations with Kazakhstan

Ref. 2826 of 27 May 2003 – Validity: 27 May 2005, extended the reference until 31 December 2005;

Ø Doc 9787

      Motion for an order presented by Mr Jurgens and others

      The concept of “nation”

Ref. 2835 of 27 May 2003 - Validity: 27 May 2005, extended the reference until 27 November 2005;

Ø Doc 9788

      Motion for a recommendation presented by Ms Melandri and others

      The privatisation of cultural property

Ref. 2836 of 27 May 2003 - Validity: 27 May 2005, extended the reference until 27 November 2005.

13.       On 6 June, the Standing Committee ratified the following references and modifications of references proposed by the Bureau:

a.       references to committees:

Reference No. 3085       Motion for a recommendation presented by Mrs Hägg and others on the Holy See and respect for the basic values of the Council of Europe (Doc. 10529), transmission to Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for information;

Reference No. 3086       Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Rakhansky and others on the 20^th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster-consequences and problems for Europe (Doc. 10530): transmission to the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs for information;

Reference No. 3087       Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Holovaty and others on Towards decriminalisation of defamation (Doc. 10531): reference to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report;

Reference No. 3088       Motion for a resolution presented by Mrs Paoletti Tangheroni and others on Aids orphans and vulnerable children (Doc. 10537): reference to the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee for report at the Standing Committee;

Reference No. 3089       Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Platvoet and others on Monarchy and Democracy (Doc. 10539): transmission to the Committee on the Political Affairs Committee for information;

Reference No. 3090       Motion for a resolution presented by Mrs Westerlund Panke and others on the need of a greater transparency in the arms trade (Doc. 10540): reference to the Political Affairs Committee for report and to the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men for opinion;

Reference No. 3091       Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Margelov and others on the UK postal voting system (Doc. 10543): transmission to the Committee on Legal Affairs Human Rights for information;

Reference No. 3092       Motion for a recommendation presented by Mrs Krohn and others on an European Framework for Diabetes – A call for Europe’s leaders to act (Doc. 10545): transmission to the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee for information;

Reference No. 3093       Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Sasi and others on the situation of the Mari minority in the Russian Federation (Doc. 10548): to the Committee on Culture, Science and Education to be taken into account in the preparation of the report on the “situation of Fenno-Ugric and Samoyed peoples”;

Reference No. 3094       Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Randegger and others on vocational education and training, a key factor for lifelong employability (Doc. 10552): reference to the Committee on Culture, Science and Education for report at the Standing Committee and to the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development and to the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men for opinion;

Reference No. 3095       Warsaw Declaration and Action Plan adopted at the Third Summit

and Reference No. 3096       of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe (Warsaw, 16-17 May 2005) (Docs. 10555 and 10556): reference to all Assembly committees for one report on the parts of the texts coming within their terms of reference;

b.       extension of references

Reference No. 2855       Motion for a resolution presented by Mrs Damanaki and others on women and religion in Europe (Doc. 9856): extended the validity of the reference until 7 October 2005 (Modification of Ref. No. 2855 of 8 September 2003);

Reference No. 2861       Motion for a resolution presented by Mrs Err and others on mechanisms to promote gender equality in practice (Doc. 9865) and Motion for a recommendation presented by Mrs Cliveti and others on women’s participation in decision-making (Doc. 9866): extended the validity of the merged reference until 7 October 2005 (Modification of Ref. No. 2861 of 8 September 2003);

Reference No. 2840       Motion for a resolution presented by Mr de Puig and other on regionalisation in Europe (Doc. 9802): extended the validity of the reference until 31 December 2005 (Modification of Ref. No. 2840 of 27 May 2003);

c.       modification of reference

Reference No. 3097       Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Preda and others on management of solid urban waste (Doc. 10519): reference to the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs for report at the Standing Committee (Modification of Ref. No. 3075 of 29 April 2005);

14.        On 6 June, the Standing Committee took note of the decisions of the Bureau as regards:

Ø the Motion for a recommendation presented by Mrs Petrova-Mitevska and others on the provisional name of the Republic of Macedonia in the Council of Europe (Doc. 10538), to postpone consideration until October 2005, awaiting information on negotiations within the framework of the United Nations;

Ø the Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Jarab and others on academic freedom, university autonomy and human rights in the 21^st century (Doc. 10087), to postpone until early 2006 consideration of the request for an extension;

Ø the Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Torosyan and others on “Imvros and Tenedos” (Doc. 10536), following information provided by Mrs Papadimitriou and Mr Mercan on their forthcoming on-the-spot visit from 17-18 June 2005, to come back to this Motion at the next meeting of the Bureau.

15.       On 20 June, the Bureau approved the following proposals:

a.       references

Ø Doc. 10562

      Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Jurgens and others

Preserving and strengthening the leading role of the Council of Europe, also in relation to the European Union, in setting basic legal standards within Europe, to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, for report

Ø Doc. 10573

      Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr McNamara and others

Election of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights by the Parliamentary Assembly, postponed its decision;

Ø Doc. 10574

      Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Hancock and others

A tendency to infringe political and property human rights in some post-revolutionary Council of Europe member states, to the Political Affairs Committee, for information

Ø Doc. 10536

      Motion for a resolution presented by Mr Torosyan and others

“Imvros and Tenedos”, was informed by Mrs Papadimitriou and Mr Mercan on their on-the-spot visit from 17-18 June 2005, and decided to come back to this issue at the next meeting of the Bureau.

b.       modification of a reference

Ø Doc. 10535

      Motion for a recommendation presented by Mr Van den Brande and others

The Council of Europe and the European neighbourhood policy of the European Union

Ref. No 3083 of 29 April 2005, to the Political Affairs Committee, for report, and to the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development, for opinion.

G.       COMPOSITION OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PARAGRAPH 5 OF RESOLUTION 1416 (2004) ON THE CONFLICT OVER THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH REGION DEALT WITH BY THE OSCE MINSK CONFERENCE

16.       On 29 April, the Bureau took note that the UEL group appointed Mr Doros Christodoulides (Cyprus) for the vacant seat (list in appendix I).

17.       On 6 June, following the proposal of the Political Affairs Committee, the Bureau decided to include in the Ad Hoc Committee one representative of the main opposition party from, respectively, the delegation of Armenia and Azerbaijan to the Assembly.

18.       On 20 June, following the decision to include in the Ad hoc Committee one representative of the main opposition party from, respectively, the delegation of Armenia and Azerbaijan to the Assembly, the Bureau decided to include Mr Kocharyan from the delegation of Armenia and Mr Mollazade from the delegation of Azerbaijan as members of the ad hoc committee.

H.       IMPLEMENTATION OF PARAGRAPH 6 OF RESOLUTION 1376 (2004) ON CYPRUS

19.       On 20 June, the Bureau took note of the letters from two Turkish Cypriot political parties communicating to the President of the Assembly the names of the two “elected representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community” i.e. Mr Nami (Republican Turkish Party) and Mr Özgürgün (National Unity Party), to be submitted to the Assembly for approval in accordance with the decision of the Bureau on 4 October 2004.

I.       INVITATIONS TO THE ASSEMBLY

20.       On 29 April, the Bureau agreed to invite His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI as well as His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to address the Assembly.

J.       INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

21.       On 29 April, the Bureau appointed Mr Zingeris (Lithuania, EDG) to represent the Assembly in the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI).

K.       APPOINTMENTS OF ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVES FOR OFFICIAL ACTIVITIES

22.       On 29 April, the Bureau:

Ø First Session of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (Cairo, 12-15 March 2005): took note of the information document by Mr Azzolini on his participation in this meeting and referred it to the Political Affairs Committee for consideration;

Ø Inaugural mass of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI: heard an oral report of Mr Azzolini on his participation in this inaugural mass.

23.       On 6 June, the Bureau took the following decisions on the Assembly representatives at different events:

Ø Preparatory meeting of the Inaugural Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, Naples, 26-27 June 2005: M. Azzolini (Italy, EPP/CD);

Ø European Conference to mark the 20^th Anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self Government, Lisbon, 8 July 2005: left it up to the President to appoint the Assembly representative (without costs for the Assembly);

Ø 51^st Commonwealth Parliamentary conference, Nadji (Fiji Islands), 1-10 September 2005: left it up to the President to appoint the Assembly representative (without costs for the Assembly).

L.       MEETINGS ELSEWHERE THAN IN STRASBOURG OR PARIS

24.       On 29 April, the Bureau:

i. authorised the following meetings

Ø Sub-Committee on Refugees (of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population), Baku (Azerbaijan) 4 July 2005;

Ø Monitoring Committee, Baku (Azerbaijan) 5 July 2005;

Ø Sub-Committee on Science and Ethics (of the Committee on Culture, Science and Education), Budapest (Hungary), 19-20 September 2005.

ii.       did not authorise the Political Affairs Committee to meet in Baku (Azerbaijan) on 3-4 July 2005.

25.       On 6 June, the Bureau authorised the following meetings:

Ø Sub-Committee on the Europe Prize (of the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs), Kaliningrad (Russia), 9 July 2005;

Ø Sub-Committee on Agriculture and Food (of the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs), Geneva (Switzerland), 8-9 September 2005;

Ø Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs, Bucharest (Romania), 3-4 November 2005;

Ø Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, Reykjavik (Iceland), 12-13 September 2005;

Ø Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, Tbilisi (Georgia), 3-4 November 2005 (to be confirmed).

26.       On 20 June, the Bureau authorised the following meetings:

Ø Ad hoc Sub-Committee (of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee), Ljubljana (Slovenia), 5 – 7 July 2005;

Ø Sub-Committee on Health (of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee), Moscow (Russia), 23 September 2005;

Ø Sub-Committee on the European Social Charter and Employment (of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee), Tbilisi (Georgia), 25 – 26 October 2005;

Ø Sub-Committee on International Economic Relations (of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development), Lisbon (Portugal), 28 – 30 September 2005;

Ø Sub-Committee on Refugees (of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and population), Skopje, (FYROM), 17 – 18 October 2005;

3.       RELATIONS WITH OTHER BODIES OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

A.       EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR THE PREVENTION OF TORTURE AND INHUMAN AND DEGRATING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT (CPT)

27.       On 29 April, the Bureau drew up the lists of the candidates for the CPT in the following order:

i.       Candidates in respect of Greece:

1/       Mr Linos-Alexander SICILIANOS

2/       Mr Artemis PAPATHANASSIOU

3/       Mrs Haritini DIPLA

ii.       Candidates in respect of Hungary:

1/       Mrs Anikó Krisztina MÜLLER

2/       Mr Gergely FLIEGAUF

3/       Mr László CSETNEKY

iii.       Candidates in respect of Serbia and Montenegro

1/       Mrs Olivera VULIĆ

2/       Mrs Sanda RAŠKOVIĆ-IVIĆ

3/ Mrs Violeta BESIREVIĆ

iv.       Candidates in respect of the Russian Federation: took note that the Sub-Committee on Human Rights (of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights) had decided to postpone its decision until its next meeting, with a view to obtaining additional information concerning the candidates;

28.       On 6 June, the Bureau drew up the lists of the candidates for the CPT in the following order:

i.       Candidates in respect of Luxembourg

1/       Mr Pierre SCHMIT

2/       Ms Nadia RANGAN

3/       Mr Xavier BETTEL

ii.       Candidates in respect of Switzerland

1/       Mr Jean-Pierre RESTELLINI

2/       Ms Priska SCHÜRMANN

3/       Mr Andreas WERREN

B.       VENICE COMMISSION

Ø Opinion of the Venice Commission on the constitutional situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the powers of the High Representative

29.       On 29 April, the Bureau took note of this opinion and referred it to the Monitoring Committee for consideration.

C.       NORTH-SOUTH CENTRE OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Ø The Council of Europe’s North-South prize 2005

30.       On 6 June, the Bureau proposed to the North-South Centre the candidature of Mr Alain Godonou, Director of the School of African Heritage in Porto Novo (Benin);

4.       EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND POLITICAL MATTERS

A.       RELATIONS WITH BELARUS

31.       On 29 April, the Bureau took note of the memorandum on “strengthening democratic forces in Belarus” prepared by the Sub-Committee on Belarus (of the Political Affairs Committee) and agreed to invite the political groups of the Assembly to develop contacts with the respective democratic political parties in Belarus and to invite representatives of these parties to the Assembly part-sessions.

5.       RELATIONS WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

A.       INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE ON PAN-EUROPEAN COOPERATION DEDICATED TO THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORY OF THE ANTI-HITLER COALITION IN WORLD WAR II (15 APRIL 2005, ST. PETERSBURG)

32.       On 29 April, the Bureau took note of the Final Declaration adopted at this conference.

6.       BUDGETARY QUESTIONS

A.       ANALYSIS OF THE USE MADE BY THE ASSEMBLY’S POLITICAL GROUPS OF THEIR ALLOCATIONS FOR 2004

33.       On 6 June, the Bureau took note of the information paper prepared by the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development.

7.       OBSERVATION OF ELECTIONS

A.       PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN BULGARIA (25 JUNE 2005)

34.       On 29 April, the Bureau decided to set up an ad hoc committee of five members (one from each political group) to observe these elections.

35.       On 6 June, the Bureau approved the composition of the ad hoc Committee to observe these elections.

B.       PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN ALBANIA (3 JULY 2005)

36.       On 29 April, the Bureau decided to increase the number of members of the ad hoc committee to observe these elections to 40 (SOC: 14; EPP/DC: 13; LDR: 6; EDG: 5; UEL: 2).

37.       On 6 June, the Bureau approved the composition of the ad hoc Committee to observe these elections and appointed Mr Smorawinski (EPP/CD) as Chairperson.

38. On 20 June, the Bureau

Ø took note of the memorandum prepared by Mr Smorawinski (EPP/CD) on the pre-electoral mission to Albania from 30 May to 1 June 2005;

Ø took note that Mrs Eliska Wagnerova, alternative member of the Venice Commission in respect of the Czech Republic and of the Council of democratic elections, has been designated by the Venice Commission to assist the ad hoc committee of the Assembly to observe these elections.

C.       ELECTIONS TO THE PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

39.       On 6 June, the Bureau approved the current composition of the ad hoc Committee to observe these elections being understood that it may change when the date of the election will be announced and appointed Lord Russell-Johnston (LDR) as Chairperson.

D.       ELECTIONS IN NAGORNO KARABAKH (19 JUNE 2005)

40.       On 6 June, the Bureau decided not to observe these elections.

E.       PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN (NOVEMBER 2005)

41.       On 20 June, the Bureau:

Ø set up an Ad hoc Committee to observe the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan composed of 40 members (d’Hondt system: SOC: 14; EPP/DC: 13; LDR: 6; EDG: 5; UEL: 2);

Ø decided that a pre-electoral mission should take place one month before the election at the latest, composed of five members, one from each political group who are at the same time members of the Ad Hoc Committee.

8.       OTHER MATTERS

A.       FOLLOW-UP TO THE THIRD SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE (WARSAW, 16-17 MAY 2005)

42.       On 6 June, the Bureau:

Ø held an exchange of views on this matter;

Ø asked the President to send a letter to the Chairperson of the Committee of Ministers informing him about concrete proposals of the Assembly concerning the implementation of the Action Plan adopted at the Third Summit, in particular the involvement of the Assembly in the appointment of the group of wise persons for the reform of the European Court of Human Rights and the setting-up of the Council of Europe Forum for the Future of Democracy;

Ø decided that the Presidential Committee will be responsible within the Assembly to follow closely the implementation of the Action Plan of the Third Summit.

B.       IMMUNITIES OF ASSEMBLY MEMBERS

43.       On 29 April, the Bureau:

i.       took note that the Committee on Rules of Procedure and Immunities had decided to close the procedure concerning Mr Iannuzzi’s request for the defence of his immunity as a member of the Assembly;

ii.       asked the Committee on Rules of Procedure and Immunities to prepare a report on the interpretation of Article 15 of the General Agreement on privileges and immunities of the Council of Europe.

C.       OFFICIAL REPORTS OF ASSEMBLY DEBATES

44.       On 29 April, the Bureau postponed the consideration of this matter to one of its next meetings.

45.       On 6 June, the Bureau took note of the memorandum prepared by the secretariat and decided to come back to this matter at a next Bureau meeting.

D.       EXHIBITIONS IN THE ASSEMBLY LOBBY DURING PART-SESSIONS

46.       On 29 April, the Bureau approved the draft decision contained in the memorandum on this matter (Appendix II).

E.       STEPPING UP INTERNAL SECURITY IN THE PALAIS DE L’EUROPE BY EXTENDING THE ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM

47.       On 29 April, the Bureau took note of the proposals contained in the memorandum on this matter;

F.       FACT-FINDING VISIT TO THE CHECHEN REPUBLIC

48.       On 20 June, the Bureau took note of the letter of the Chairman of the Political Affairs Committee informing the Bureau about the discussions in this committee concerning a possible fact-finding visit to the Chechen Republic.

G.       INFORMATION

49.       On 6 June, the Bureau took note of the information by the President of the Assembly, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the Secretary General of the Assembly.

50.       On 20 June, the Bureau took note of the information by the President of the Assembly, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the Secretary General of the Assembly.

Appendix I

AS/Bur (2005) 47

25 April 2005

Bureau of the Assembly

Ad Hoc Committee on the implementation of paragraph 5

of Resolution 1416 (2004) on the conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference

Composition¹

a.       Chairpersons of the following national delegations to the Assembly:

.       Mr. Tigran TOROSYAN (Armenia, EDG)

.       Mr. Samad SEYIDOV (Azerbaijan, EDG)

.       Mr. Bernard SCHREINER (France, EPP/CD)

.       Mr. Rudolf BINDIG (Germany, SOC)

.       Mr. Claudio AZZOLINI (Italy, EPP/CD)

.       Mr. Konstantin KOSACHEV (Russian Federation, EDG)

.       Ms Carina OHLSSON (Sweden, SOC)

.       Mr. Murat MERCAN (Turkey, EPP/CD)

b.       Representatives of the main committees concerned by the conflict:

i.       the chairpersons of the Political Affairs Committee and the Monitoring Committee:

.       Mr. Abdülkadir ATES (Turkey, SOC)

.       Mr. György FRUNDA (Romania, EPP/CD)

ii.       the rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee for Armenia and Azerbaijan:

.       Mr. Georges COLOMBIER (France, EPP/CD) 

.       Mr. Jerzy JASKIERNIA (Poland, SOC) 

.       Mr. Andreas GROSS (Switzerland, SOC)

.       Mr. Andres HERKEL (Estonia, EPP/CD)

iii.       the former Rapporteur of the Political Affairs Committee on Nagorno-Karabakh and any possible future rapporteur of this committee on the subject:

.       Mr. David ATKINSON (United Kingdom, EDG) 

c. Representatives of political groups who are not represented by the members appearing in categories a and b above:

.       Lord RUSSELL-JOHNSTON (United Kingdom, LDR)

.       Mr Doros CHRISTODOULIDES (Cyprus, UEL)

Appendix II

AS/Bur (2005) 44

19 April 2005

Bureau of the Assembly

EXHIBITIONS IN THE ASSEMBLY LOBBY

Secretariat Memorandum prepared at the request of the President

Introduction

1.       Guidelines for the organisation of exhibitions in the Assembly Lobby during sessions were adopted by the Bureau on 13 January 1997 (see appended doc. AS/Bur (1996) 126 rev). However, these appear to require some clarification in the light of practice.

Draft decision

2.       The Bureau reaffirms its decision of 13 January 1997 regarding the organisation of exhibitions in the Assembly Lobby during sessions, while specifying that:

a)       requests for authorisation must be submitted to the President of the Assembly by chairpersons of parliamentary delegations or committees at least three months in advance of the opening of the part-session to which the request relates;

b)       exhibitions requested by parliamentary delegations or committees must be directly related to the work of the Assembly;

c)       previously authorised requests from parliamentary delegations or committees for the mounting of exhibitions must be taken into account in order to ensure a fair distribution of opportunities to all delegations and committees.

Strasbourg, 13 January 1997

aax126.96R       AS/Bur (1996) 126 Revised

BUREAU OF THE ASSEMBLY

EXHIBITIONS DURING ASSEMBLY SESSIONS

Note by the Office of the Clerk

prepared on the instructions of the President of the Assembly

_____________

Background

1.       At the September 1996 Session the President heard complaints that it was difficult to find a place to sit in the Assembly's lobby, because the space in front of the sofas was taken by exhibition panels.

2.       It is true that the number of exhibitions in the Palace of Europe during Assembly sessions has been growing.

3.       In addition, the organisers often prefer the Assembly's lobby to other places in the building, because they wish to ensure that Members of the Assembly see their exhibitions.

4.       Authorisation of exhibitions in the Committee of Ministers' lobby is given by the Bureau of the Ministers' Deputies. For using other places in the building, when the Assembly is not sitting, the Secretary General gives his approval.

5.       Therefore, guidelines from the Bureau on organising exhibitions during sessions would be welcomed.

Decision

6.       The Bureau decided to free the Assembly's lobby from all exhibitions, except for exhibitions requested by parliamentary delegations or committees who wish to illustrate their activities, eg the Museum Prize.

7.       All other exhibitions during sessions could, after informing the President, be arranged by the Secretary General in other suitable parts of the building.

8.       During a transitional period, the President will honour authorisations already granted to use the lobby.

¹ According to the criteria approved by the Bureau on 18 March 2005 (AS/Bur (2005) 29))