Doc. 8304
22 January 1999

Setting up an ad hoc committee of the Assembly on the rights of national minorities in accordance with Rule 43.4 of the Rules of Procedure

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Frunda and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.        The Assembly considers that the protection of the rights of national minorities is one of the core values of the Council of Europe, and one of the most important prerequisites for peace and stability in Europe on the eve of the 21st century.

2.        While significant progress in this field has been made in the last decade, in particular with the opening for signature of two Council of Europe instruments, the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages, grave problems still exist that need to be addressed, as the recent developments in the Balkan region attest to.

3.        In particular, a clear definition of the term “national minorities” is still lacking. The elaboration of an Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights on Cultural Rights could further help to protect the rights of national minorities.

4.        The Assembly thus decides to set up an ad hoc committee on the rights of national minorities to deal with these and other related questions.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed : ¹

Frunda, Romania, EPP/CD

Schwimmer, Austria, EPP/CD

Gelderblom-Lankhout, Netherlands, LDR

Magnusson, Sweden, SOC

Besostri, Italy, SOC

Jansson, Finland, LDR

Holovaty, Ukraine, LDR

Staciokas, Lithuania, EDG

Lopez-Henares, Spain, EPP/CD

Kelemen, Hungary, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

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

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group