Interim reply to Recommendation 1238 (1994) on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina

1 June 1994

Doc. 7097

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

Interim reply to Recommendation 1238 (1994)

on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina

(adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 26 May 1994

at the 513th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers has examined attentively Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1238 (1994) on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and has decided to transmit it to the Governments of member States as well as to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and to the Governing Body of the Council of Europe's Social Development Fund. It also decided to consult the European Commission for Democracy through Law ("Venice Commission") on this Recommendation's constitutional aspects.

The Committee of Ministers draws the Parliamentary Assembly's attention to the fact that the draft of 17 March 1994 for a constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, set up following the Washington Agreement of 1 March 1994 on a framework for a federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and an outline for a confederation between the Republic of Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, contains a reference to Committee of Ministers' Resolution (93) 6 on the Control of Respect for Human Rights in European States not yet members of the Council of Europe. The Committee of Ministers will keep the Parliamentary Assembly informed on this Agreement's implementation in the context of a reply to Recommendations 1204 and 1219 (1993) on establishing a mechanism for the protection of human rights in European States not members of the Council of Europe.

Concerning paragraph 6.ii of this Recommendation, the Committee of Ministers recalls that the Deputies are continuing their examination of the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina's wish to accede to a number of European Conventions and Agreements and especially the problems of practical application and of participation in these Conventions' implementation.

The Committee of Ministers will give a supplementary reply to the Recommendation in the light of its consultation of the European Commission for Democracy through Law ("Venice Commission").