Doc. 8548

24 September 1999

European Convention on Human Rights and political asylum

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Gill and others

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

      The Assembly:

i.       Recognising that membership of the Council of Europe is conditional upon acceptance of the European Convention of Human Rights;

ii       Given that the human rights of all citizens of Council of Europe member states are protected by the right of individual petition to the Court of Human Rights whose findings are obliged to be responded to by Governments;

iii.       Given that all 41 member states of the Council of Europe have pledged to support the principle of human rights within their own borders;

iv.       Mindful of the fact that human rights are a fundamental tenet of the constitution of the Council of Europe;

v.       Having regard to the not insignificant number of citizens of Council of Europe member states who continue to seek political asylum in other Council of Europe countries;

vi.       Conscious of the possibility that some of those seeking political asylum are either economic migrants or fugitives from justice;

1.       Believes that the situation in which citizens of member states of the Council of Europe continue to claim political asylum in other Council of Europe countries controverts the fundamental responsibility of member states to respect the European Convention of Human Rights;

2.       Calls for the appropriate committee to report on this situation.

Signed :

Gill, United Kingdom, EDG

Adamczyk, Poland, EPP/CD

Agius, Malta, EPP/CD

Akçali, Turkey, EDG

Akgönenç, Turkey, EDG

Asciak, Malta, EPP/CD

Atkinson, United Kingdom, EDG

Bal, Turkey, EDG

Belohorská, Slovakia, EDG

Billing, Sweden, EDG

Bušić, Croatia, EPP/CD

Buwitt, Germany, EPP/CD

Chapman, United Kingdom, EDG

Clinton-Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Columberg, Switzerland, EPP/CD

Colvin, United Kingdom, EDG

Cryer, United Kingdom, SOC

Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Domljan, Croatia, EPP/CD

Dromberg, Finland, EDG

Etherington, United Kingdom, SOC

Eversdijk, Netherlands, EPP/CD

Fyfe, United Kingdom, SOC

Ghesquière, Belgium, EPP/CD

Hancock, United Kingdom, LDR

Herrera, Spain, EPP/CD

Høegh, Norway, EDG

Hornhues, Germany, EPP/CD

Imbrasiené, Lithuania, EPP/CD

Ivanov I., Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Jones, United Kingdom, SOC

Judd, United Kingdom, SOC

Kalkan, Turkey, EDG

Keleman A., Hungary, EPP/CD

Keltošová, Slovakia, EDG

Kieres, Poland, EPP/CD

Knight, United Kingdom, EDG

König, Austria, EPP/CD

Kuzmickas, Lithuania, EDG

Libicki, Poland, EDG

Lintner, Germany, EPP/CD

Lopez Henares, Spain, EPP/CD

McNamara, United Kingdom, SOC

Mularoni, San Marino, EPP/CD

Obuljen, Croatia, EPP/CD

Paegle, Latvia, PPE/DC

Pulgar, Spain, EPP/CD

Ragnarsdóttir, Iceland, EDG

Rapson, United Kingdom, SOC

Raškinis, Lithuania, EPP/CD

Robol, Italy, EPP/CD

Roseta, Portugal, EPP/CD

Sinka, Latvia, EDG

Smith, United Kingdom, SOC

Staes, Belgium, EPP/CD

Stoyanova, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Surján, Hungary, EPP/CD

Taylor D., United Kingdom, SOC

Taylor J.D., United Kingdom, EPP/CD

Telek, Turkey, EDG

Tiuri, Finland, EDG

Tkác, Slovakia, EDG

Toshev, Bulgaria, EPP/CD

Townend, United Kingdom, EDG

Truu, Estonia, EDG

Uriarte, Spain, EPP/CD

Wielowieyski, Poland, EPP/CD

Wilshire, United Kingdom, EDG

Wojcik, Poland, EPP/CD

______________________

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