Doc. 8502

20 September 1999

Progress report of the Bureau of the Assembly

(25 June - 20 September 1999)

Rapporteur: Mrs Vlasta STEPOVÀ (Czech Republic, SOC)

INTRODUCTION

1.       The Assembly held the Third Part of its 1999 Ordinary Session from 21 to 25 June 1999. The Bureau met on 25 June (Strasbourg), on 3 September (Paris) and on 20 September (Strasbourg). The Standing Committee held no meeting.

Chapter I

FUNCTIONING OF THE ASSEMBLY

PREPARATION OF THE FOURTH PART OF THE 1999 SESSION

2.       At its meeting on 3 September, the Bureau adopted the draft agenda and approved the preliminary draft order of business of the fourth part of the Assembly’s 1999 session (20-24 September 1999).

3.       At its meeting on 20 September, the Bureau updated the draft order of business and expressed itself in favour of holding a debate under urgent procedure on East Timor.

CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEES

4.       On 25 June, the Bureau approved, subject to ratification by the Assembly, the following changes in the composition of the Monitoring Committee:

       .        Mr Gürkan to replace Mr Dinçer (in respect of the Socialist Group)

       .        Mr Saglam to replace Mr Kiratlioglu (in respect of Group of the European People's

ADOPTED TEXTS AND FOLLOW-UP TO RESOLUTION 1177 (1999)

5.       On 3 September, the Bureau held an exchange of views, on the basis of a memorandum of the Clerk of the Assembly, on the follow-up to Resolution 1177 (1999) on the Committee of Wise Person's report: "Building Greater Europe without dividing lines". During the discussion, several members of the Bureau considered that the Assembly needed to agree on reforms which would increase the efficiency of its structures and concentrate activities on priorities.

6.       The Bureau agreed to consult the chairpersons of national delegations to the Assembly on the Clerk's memorandum on 21 September 1999 and decided to continue the discussion at one of its next meetings.

RECONSTITUTION AND SETTING-UP OF BUREAU AD HOC COMMITTEES

7.       On 3 and 20 September, the Bureau decided to set up ad hoc committees to observe respectively the parliamentary elections in Georgia (31 October 1999) and in Russia (19 December 1999).

REFERENCES AND TRANSMISSIONS TO COMMITTEES

8.       On 25 June, the Bureau modified, subject to ratification by the Assembly, the reference of the motion for a recommendation on a contribution from the Assembly to the International Year of the Elderly (Doc.8157) to the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee for report to the Assembly (change of reference No.2312).

9.       The same day, the Assembly ratified this modification of reference.

10.       On 3 September, the Bureau, subject to ratification by the Assembly, proposed the following references to committees;

.       Motion for a resolution on the consequences of the war in Yugoslavia for the region's environment (Doc. 8466) to the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities;

.       Motion for a resolution on the incompatibility of banning democratically elected political parties with Council of Europe standards (Doc. 8467) to the Political Affairs Committee (for report to the Standing Committee);

.       Motion for a resolution on European parliamentary sport (Doc. 8468) for information, to the Committee on Culture and Education;

.       Motion for a recommendation on technological strategies for reconstruction and industrial development of the disadvantaged regions of South-Eastern Europe (Doc. 8469) to the Committee on Science and Technology and, for opinion, to the Committee on Economic Affairs and Human Rights

.       Motion for a resolution on financing of political parties (Doc. 8470) to the Political Affairs Committee;

.       Motion for a recommendation on drawing up a European strategy in the field of demography (Doc. 8471) to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography;

.       Motion for a resolution on the need for contacts to exist between Greek and Turkish Cypriots living in Cyprus (Doc. 8473) for information, to the Political Affairs Committee and the Committee on Culture and Education;

.       Motion for a recommendation on necessary measures to address the damage sustained by the countries of south-east Europe following the Kosovo crisis (Doc. 8474) for information, to the Political Affairs Committee, to the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development, and to the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography;

.       Motion for an order on the role of the Council of Europe in relation to defence and security issues (Doc. 8475) to the Political Affairs Committee and, for opinion, to the Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations;

.       Motion for a resolution on protection of parliamentarism (Doc. 8478) to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights (for report to the Standing Committee) and, for opinion, to the Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations;

.       Motion for a resolution on the continuation of European support and solidarity for the Turkish people after the earthquake in North-Western Turkey (Doc. 8506) to the Committee on Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee;

11.       On 3 September, the Bureau agreed that it was not necessary, as requested by the Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Education, to modify the following references to committees as they have lapsed under Rule 14 para. 3b. of the Rules of Procedure:

-       Reference 1628 (15 March 1989): Motion for a resolution on the dangers caused by media concentrations to the exercise of the right to freedom of expression and information and to cultural diversity in Council of Europe member states (Doc. 6021)

-       Reference 1906 (4 November 1993): Motion for a resolution on freedom of the media in central and eastern Europe (Doc. 6953).

12.       Also on 3 September, the Bureau also forwarded, for information, to the committees concerned the European Parliament's Resolution on the death sentence on Mr Öcalan and the future of the Kurdish question in Turkey.

13.       On 20 September, the Bureau, subject to ratification by the Assembly, proposed the following references to committees:

.       Communication from the Secretary General transmitting the 9th General Report on the CPT's activities (Doc. 8499 ) to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights;

.       Motion for a recommendation on the sentencing to death of Abdullah Öcalan (Doc. 8500) to the Monitoring Committee;

.       Motion for a recommendation on minority issues (Doc. 8512 ) to the Political Affairs Committee and, for opinion, to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights;

.       Motion for a recommendation on East Timor (Doc. 8519) to the Political Affairs Committee;

.       Request for an opinion from the Committee of Ministers to the Assembly concerning the draft additional Protocol to Convention ETS 108 on Supervisory Authorities and Transborder Data Flows (Doc. 8526) to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.

14.       On 20 September, the Bureau decided the following changes in references to committees:

.       Motion for a resolution on parliamentary control of international institutions (Doc. 8430) to the Political Affairs Committee instead of the Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations (modification of Ref. N° 2405);

.       Motion for a recommendation on mothers and babies in prison (Doc. 8479) for report to the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee instead of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights.

MEETINGS ELSEWHERE THAN IN STRASBOURG OR PARIS AND AUTHORISATION FOR MEMBERS' OFFICIAL VISITS

Meetings elsewhere than in Strasbourg and Paris:

15.       At its meeting on 25 June, the Bureau approved the following meetings elsewhere than in Strasbourg and Paris:

.        Sub-committee on the Cultural Heritage (of the Committee on Culture and Education) in Bucharest (Romania ) from 10 - 13 September 1999;

.        Sub-Committee on relations with European non-member countries (of the Political Affairs Committee) in New York (USA) from 26-28 October 1999;

.       ad hoc Sub-Committee of the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities or a fact-finding visit to Canada (from 6-12 September 1999) .

16.       On 3 September, it authorised the following meetings outside Strasbourg and Paris:

.       Committee on Economic Affairs and Development in Cyprus from 25-27 October 1999;

.       Sub-Committee on Local and Regional Authorities (of the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities) in Timisoara (Romania), from 28-30 October 1999.

17.       On 20 September, the Bureau approved the following meetings elsewhere than in Strasbourg and Paris:

.       Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) on 21-22 October 1999;

.       Ad hoc Sub-Committee of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee in Ottawa (25 October 1999) to participate in the Colloquy "Social policies for new millenium".

Official journeys by members of the Assembly

18.       On 25 June, the Bureau made the following appointments of Assembly representatives for official activities:

.        Mr Bloetzer (Switzerland, EPP/CD) to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 29 June to 1 July 1999 and in August 1999;

.        Mrs Gelderblom-Lankhout (Netherlands, LDR) to Bosnia and Herzegovina in July and in August 1999;

.        Mr Palmitjavila Ribo (Andorra, LDR) to Mexico from 30 August - 3 September 1999;

.        Mr Diaz de Mera (Spain, EPP/CD), Mr Iwinski (Poland, SOC), Mrs Guirado (Spain, Soc), Lord Judd (UK, Soc) and Mrs Poptodorova (Bulgaria, SOC) to Kosovo from 23-27 August 1999;

.        Mr Behrendt (Germany, SOC) to Belarus from 4-6 October 1999;

.        Mr Kirilov (Bulgaria, SOC) and Mr Obuljen (Croatia, EPP/CD) to Skopje, Pristina, Podgorica, Belgrade and Dubrovnik at the beginning of September 1999 ;

.        Mr Jürgens (Netherlands,SOC) and a representative to be appointed by the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development to the 102nd Conference of the IPU in Berlin from 10-16 October 1999; .

19.       On 3 September, the Bureau appointed Mrs Stepova (Czech Republic, SOC) as the Assembly's representative to the Parliamentary Conference of the Central European Initiative on 7 and 8 October 1999 in Prague.

20.       On 20 September 1999, the Bureau made the following appointments of Assembly representatives for official activities:

.       Mrs Ojuland (Estonia, LDR), Rapporteur of the Political Affairs Committee, and Lord Kirkhill (United Kingdom, SOC), Rapporteur for opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs Committee on Monaco's accession to the Council of Europe, to this country on 4-5 October 1999;

.       Mr Bloetzer (Switzerland, EPP/CD), Rapporteur for the Political Affairs Committee on the accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Council of Europe, to this country from 18-21 October 1999;

.       Mr Atkinson (United Kingdom, EDG), Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Relations with European Non Member Countries, to represent the President of the Assembly at the 11th International Symposium of the Democratic Constitutional Assembling in Tunis (4-5 November 1999);

.       Mrs Wohlwend (Liechtenstein, EPP/CD) to participate in the Conference on Global Movements Towards a moratorium on the death penalty (Columbia University, New-York, 12-14 October 1999).

Chapter II

RELATIONS WITH THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS

AND OTHER BODIES OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING

21.       On 3 September, the Bureau approved the draft provisional agenda for the next meeting of the Joint Committee on 23 September 1999 which will be devoted to a general exchange of views on the monitoring of compliance of member States with their commitments. On 20 September, the Bureau discussed the preparation of that meeting.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR THE PREVENTION OF TORTURE AND INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT

22.       On 25 June, the Bureau approved the lists of candidates for the European Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CPT) in respect of Finland and Sweden and agreed to forward them to the Committee of Ministers.

23.       On 3 September, the Bureau approved a memorandum from the Clerk concerning the examination of lists of candidates for the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).

24.       The same day, it examined the candidatures to the CPT in respect of Cyprus and forwarded a revised list to the Committee of Ministers.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

25.       On 3 September, the Bureau took note of the list of candidates for the post of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights forwarded by the Committee of Ministers and approved the information note on the modalities for the election of the Commissioner (see appendix).

26.       On 20 September, the Bureau took note of and declassified the report by the Sub-Committee on the Human Rights (of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights) on the election of the Commissioner.

ELECTION OF A JUDGE TO THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS (ECHR) IN RESPECT OF THE FEDERATION OF RUSSIA

27.       On 20 September, the Bureau took note of and declassified the report by the Sub-Committee on the Election of Judges (of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights) on the election of the judges to the ECHR.

Chapter III

EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND POLITICAL MATTERS

KOSOVO AND SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

28.       On 25 June, the Bureau held an exchange of views on the role of the Council of Europe in the implementation of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe and Resolution 1244 of the United Nations Security Council.

29.       On 25 June, the President informed the Bureau that a delegation of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography would visit Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro from
23 to 27 August 1999, and would include a member of the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee, a member of the Committee on Culture and Education and a member of the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men. A delegation composed of members of the Political Affairs Committee, the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development, the Committee on the Environment, Regional Planning and Local Authorities and of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development were also due to visit the region.

30.       He proposed that, in future, the Bureau should co-ordinate the visits of the different committees, in the light notably of the experience concerning Albania.

31.       On 3 September, the President reported to the Bureau on his visits to Montenegro (7-9 July) and to Kosovo from 22-24 August. For the latter mission he was accompanied by the Clerk of the Assembly and together with the afore-mentioned delegation (see Adendum 2 to this report). That delegation had also visited Montenegro and Serbia with a view to assessing the humanitarian situation in the region.

CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES

32.       On 20 September, the Bureau was informed by the President on his participation in Tbilisi on 15 September in the first parliamentary seminar on the human rights legislation in the Caucasian countries. This seminar was organised in the framework of parliamentary co-operation started in Strasbourg in March 1999. On the occasion of this seminar, the Speakers of the Parliaments of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia adopted a joint declaration. They agreed to establish a trilateral parliamentary working group to discuss the follow-up to be given to the Tbilisi Seminar and prepare the agenda for the next seminar (Strasbourg, spring 2000).

EUROPEAN UNION CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND ACCESSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY (UNION) TO THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

33.       On 20 September, the Bureau took note of a memorandum by the Clerk of the Assembly

and agreed that the Assembly's views on this matter expressed in Resolution 1068 (1995) should be brought to the attention of the European Union bodies and national governments and parliaments.

OSCE

34.       On 3 September; the Bureau took note of the report of the ad hoc Committee of Chairmen of Political Groups on the 8th annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (St Petersburg, 5-10 July 1999).

Chapter IV

OBSERVATION OF ELECTIONS

35.       On 3 September 1999, the Bureau decided, following an invitation from the Speaker of the Georgian parliament to observe the parliamentary elections on 31 October 1999.

36.       Concerning the presidential elections in Ukraine on 31 October 1999, the Bureau considered the setting up of a large ad hoc committee composed of 20 members.

37.       On 20 September, the Bureau agreed following an invitation from the Speaker of the Russian Duma to observe the parliamentary election in Russia on 19 December and set up, to this end, an ad hoc committee composed of 30 members (and of the Rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee).

38.       It asked the Clerk of the Assembly to contact the political groups as regards the nomination of the members of both ad hoc committees.

Chapter V

BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

39.       On 25 June, the Bureau took note of the analysis concerning the use made by the Assembly's political groups of their allocations for 1998.

40.       It endorsed the proposals made by the Committee on the Budget with respect to the final apportionment of the allocation to political groups for 1999.

41.       At the same meting, the Bureau was informed by the Clerk of the Assembly on the consultation on 21 June 1999 between Assembly and Committee of Ministers' representatives on the Council of Europe's budget and welcomed the agreement to set up under the aegis of the Joint Committee, a joint working party on the future financing of the Council of Europe.

42.       On 3 September, the President informed Bureau members on the reactions to his letter to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of member States on the Council's budget for 2000.

Chapter VI

OFFICIAL ACTIVITIES OF THE PRESIDENT AND OF THE CLERK OF THE ASSEMBLY

43.       On 3 September, the President reported to the Bureau on his visits to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (30 June 1999), to Lithuania (30 June-'4 July), Montenegro (7-9 July) and to the Kosovo (22-24 August 1999).

44.       On 20 September, the President reported to the Bureau on his visits to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia (13-15 September 1999).

45.       Also on 20 September, the President informed the Bureau of his participation in the launching ceremony of the European Heritage Days 1999 (Glasgow, 3 and 4 September 1999) and on his attendance at the Conference of Speakers of Parliament of Council of Europe and G-8 members countries (Bonn and Berlin, 6 and 7 September 1999).

46.       On 3 September, the Clerk of the Assembly informed Bureau members of the initiative taken by the Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Food, Senator Goulet, proposing that he should be appointed the Assembly's representative for food aid to Turkey. The Clerk also launched an appeal that this initiative should be followed by other countries or parliamentary delegations.

Chapter VII

OTHER BUSINESS

EUROPEAN SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY FOR THE TURKISH AND GREEK PEOPLES AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE

47.       On 3 September 1999 the President expressed his and the Bureau's expression of solidarity with the familiars of the victims of the earthquake in the Western Turkey to the leader of the Turkish parliamentary delegation.

DEPARTURE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND WELCOME TO THE NEW SECRETARY GENERAL

48.       On 25 June 1999, the President paid tribute to the work carried out by the outgoing Secretary General, Mr Daniel Tarschys, who was attending a meeting of the Bureau of the Assembly for the last time.

49.       At its meeting on 3 September, the Bureau welcomed the new Secretary General, Mr Walter Schwimmer.

CONFERENCE OF SPEAKERS AND PRESIDENTS OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLIES

50.       On 3 September, the Bureau took note of the programme and other relevant information on the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of the European Parliamentary Assemblies to be held in Strasbourg on 5 and 6 May 2000.

YOUTH ASSEMBLY

51.       On 3 September, the Bureau took note of the correspondence between the President of the Assembly and the Chairman of the Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations (Mr Mignon) on the possible creation of a permanent Youth Assembly structure. It considered that it was not possible to support this initiative. It was not only a question of budgetary priorities but also involved aspects of relations with international youth organisations. The Bureau also considered that it could not accept the proposal for the Chairman and the three Vice-Chairpersons of the Youth Assembly to be invited to Strasbourg for the Assembly's September part-session.

52.       Finally, the Bureau recalled that the Assembly's external relations are of the competence of the Bureau and the President of the Assembly. It asked the President to send a letter of clarification to Mr Mignon.

MEETINGS OF THE BUREAU AND THE STANDING COMMITTEE IN DUBLIN (14-17 May 2000)

53.       On 25 June, the Bureau thanked the Irish parliamentary delegation for their invitation to hold the next Spring meetings from 14-17 May 2000 in Dublin.

54.       On 3 September, it authorised the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee and the Committee on Culture and Education to meet in Dublin on the occasion of these meetings.

ÖCALAN TRIAL

55.       On 25 June, the Bureau heard the President's report on the meeting of the ad hoc committee set up to ensure that the Assembly was represented at the Öcalan trial. Mr Akçali told the members that the verdict would be handed down on Tuesday 29 June and said that only the operative part of the judgement itself would be made public.

56.       At its meeting on 3 September, the Bureau took note of and declassified the draft report of the ad hoc Committee to ensure the presence of the Assembly at the trial of Abdullah Öcalan, including an expert opinion (see Addendum I to Doc. 8502) and dissolved the ad hoc Committee. Mr Akçali gave additional information to Bureau members.

7th SESSION OF THE CONGRESS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES IN EUROPE

57.       At its meeting on 3 September, the Bureau took note of the dates of the 7th Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (Strasbourg, 23-25 May 2000).

Appendix

Procedure for the election of the

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

Introduction

1.       In accordance with Resolution (99) 50, adopted on 7 May 1999, the Committee of Ministers has decided to appoint a Human Rights Commissioner (see description of duties appended). The Commissioner shall be elected by the Parliamentary Assembly on the basis of a list of three candidates communicated by the Committee of Ministers.

Submission of candidatures and Assembly examination procedure

2.       The Committee of Ministers communicated the list of three candidates in alphabetical order to the Parliamentary Assembly on 28 July 1999. The candidates are as follows:

-       Mr Alvaro Gil-Robles;

-       Ms Gret Haller;

-       Ms Monica Luisa Macovei.

Date(s) of the election and majorities required

3.       The election of the commissioner could be held on Tuesday 21 September 1999 from 4.30 pm to 7 pm. If a second ballot were necessary, it could take place on Wednesday 22 September 1999 from 3.30 pm to 6 pm. It should be pointed out that, under Article 36, paragraph 2 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure, the majority required in the first ballot is an absolute majority of the votes cast (only those ballot papers bearing the names of persons who have been duly entered as candidates shall be taken into account for the purpose of calculating the number of votes cast). At the second ballot only a relative majority is required. In case of a tie, a third ballot will be held and, if necessary, additional ballots until a decision is taken.

Election proceedings (voting, ballot papers, vote-counting)

4.       Voting will take place in the area behind the presidential rostrum. The sitting will not be interrupted for the vote. A member of the Table Office shall be in attendance.

5.       A single ballot paper listing the names of all the candidates shall be distributed to each member along with an envelope. The members shall place a cross next to the name of the chosen candidate.

6.       The count shall take place outside the Assembly Chamber immediately after the vote, under the supervision of two tellers drawn by lots just before the election.

Term of office

7.       In case of the withdrawal of candidates (only the candidate has the right to withdraw his candidature) between different ballots, a change in the ballot paper would have to be announced in the plenary by the President before starting a new ballot.

8.       The Commissioner shall be elected for a non-renewable term of office of six years.