Reply to Recommendation 1313 (1997) on the honouring of obligations and commitments by Estonia

15 April 1997 Doc. 7799

ADOC7799

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

Reply to Recommendation 1313 (1997)

on the honouring of obligations and commitments

by Estonia

(adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 9 April 1997

at the 588th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

_____

The Committee of Ministers has studied with interest Recommendation 1313 (1997) and wishes to inform the Parliamentary Assembly that it has been brought to the attention of the Governments of the member states.

i.       The Committee of Ministers has taken due note of the view expressed by the Parliamentary Assembly in paragraph 2.i of Recommendation 1313 (1997) that there is a need to enhance the prison reform in Estonia. The Committee of Ministers recalls that the Nord-Balt Prison Project, which forms part of a current Joint Programme between the Council of Europe and the European Commission and is supported by voluntary contributions, has the overall objective of improving and developing the prison system in the Baltic states. One of the conclusions of the meeting held in Strasbourg on 9 to 10 January 1997 was to update the assessment report on the Estonian prison system during this year. Other activities, such as conferences on prison health care and refurbishment of prisons, are also foreseen within this project in 1997.

ii.       The Committee of Ministers wishes to inform the Parliamentary Assembly that, as expressed in paragraph 2.ii of Recommendation 1313 (1997), it considers it of importance that the Council of Europe undertakes measures to advise and assist the Ministry of Justice to organise a public information and education campaign in favour of the abolition of capital punishment. As no such activity is included in the Council of Europe's Programme of Activities for 1997 or the current Joint Programme between the Council of Europe and the Commission of the European Communities, it is suggested that where possible some of the existing activities are reoriented to cover the issue of capital punishment abolition.

iii.       The Committee of Ministers welcomes the Parliamentary Assembly's proposal to include in the Council of Europe's co-operation programme a project to improve the teaching of Estonian as a foreign language and recalls that in the Joint Programme between the Council of Europe and the European Commission for support to the integration of populations of foreign origin, activities to promote a bilingual education policy have been launched. Expert assistance with textbook writing has also been provided in 1996. These activities complement intensive work in the field of language testing for naturalisation purposes. The Committee of Ministers encourages further expert advice on the teaching of Estonian and, in particular, the planned continuation of the concerned Joint Programme in 1997. Note should also be taken that the European Union's PHARE Programme in December 1996 allocated 1.4 million ECU for a language training programme in Estonia.

The Committee of Ministers also wishes to recall that Estonia in January 1997 has ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.