ACCENTSAddress by Mr. Indulis Berzins, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia at the 107th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, November 9, 2000 Mr. Chairman, Dear Colleagues, Today, the timing and place are appropriate to speak of the recent developments in the reconstruction of Europe. Latvia is convinced that the recent democratic changes in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have confirmed the success of democratic forces in this region and expresses its hope that the network of democratic institutions will be consolidated after the upcoming parliamentary elections in Serbia. Our common goal is to see the European continent united in freedom and democracy. We welcome the accession of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the Stability Pact and the United Nations. Hence we can conclude that a comprehensive democratisation process has started in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, that will eventually lead to closer relations with European and global organisations. The Council of Europe is currently facing several important tasks:
The international community is most interested in the return of democratic Yugoslavia to Europe. At the same time, considerable attention must also be paid to the whole Western Balkan region where significant democratic changes are taking place. The countries concerned and the international community all need to continue the effort to create a democratic and stable environment in the whole region. In this respect, I would like to express the hope that Bosnia and Herzegovina will make sustained progress, which should enable it to join the Council of Europe at the earliest opportunity. Mr. Chairman, The spread of democracy is essential to security and stability in Europe. Without enlargement, Europe will always be faced with the threat of instability and possible conflict nearby. Therefore, Latvia welcomes the decision of the admission of the new member states to the organisation. Focusing on the increasing role of the South Caucasus in the region, the Council of Europe should ensure that the new member states Armenia and Azerbaijan receive the necessary practical support in fulfilling their accession commitments. However, the countries themselves have to assume responsibility for achieving the appropriate level of the Council's common principles and fulfil the obligations of becoming members of the organisation. Mr. Chairman, Allow me to express strong belief that the Council of Europe will increase its role in the process of democratisation in Europe. During its presidency Latvia is committed to providing continuity in the organisation's efforts to strengthen human rights, democracy and the rule of law throughout Europe. We will continue to build on the progress so efficiently achieved by the chairmanship of Italy. Thank you. DOCUMENTSProgramme for Latvia's Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
1. To reinforce the political role of the Council of Europe by (a) deepening the dialogue with the newly-elected leadership of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia The Chairman welcomes the opportunity the Committee of Ministers had to exchange views with the newly elected President of FRY at its 107th session. He will ensure that the Committee of Ministers considers with outmost attention the follow-up to be given to the official application for membership presented by FRY on this occasion. The Committee of Ministers will also be devoting much attention to following up a considerable number of opportunities for cooperation already identified in exploratory visits to FRY by the Secretariat of the Council of Europe. In order to facilitate coordination, the Latvian Chairmanship supports the idea of establishing a permanent presence of the Council of Europe in Belgrade, which would also be a valuable partner to the Council of Europe representations already existing in Kosovo and Montenegro. (b) further contributing towards restoration of the rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy in the Chechen Republic Since late 1999 the Committee of Ministers has been carefully following the situation in the North Caucasus, particularly the efforts of the Russian Federation in achieving a lasting settlement of the conflict and restoring rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy in the Chechen Republic. The Chairman will ensure that the Committee of Ministers continues to encourage the Russian Federation in resolving the situation in the Chechen Republic in accordance with its commitments as a member state of the Council of Europe. The Chairman through the Committee of Ministers will urge the Russian authorities to intensify follow-up to the complaints registered by staff, including three experts from the Council of Europe, in the office of Mr Kalamanov, the Russian President's Special Representative for human rights in Chechnya, and to provide adequate resources for Mr Kalamanov's office. (c) boosting the implementation of Council of Europe standards in the Southern Caucasus with the admission of Armenia and Azerbaijan to the Organisation The Chairmanship will seek to ensure through the Committee of Ministers that Armenia and Azerbaijan receive the necessary practical support and encouragement from the Council of Europe in fulfilling their accession commitments. The Chairmanship will propose to the Committee of Ministers to use the upcoming enlargement to consider ways of facilitating a comprehensive approach to the problems faced by the wider Southern Caucasus, including Georgia. (d) strengthening democracy in South East Europe by building on the work already being carried out in the context of the Stability Pact in complementary cooperation with the EU, OSCE, UN and other bodies The Chairman shares the support of the Committee of Ministers towards the projects presented to the Stability Pact by the Council of Europe in its fields of competence and will continue the dialogue with its partners in both the governmental and non-governmental sector to secure adequate means for implementing key projects in the fields of functioning of justice and building of democratic institutions. (e) considering further means of encouraging democratic forces in Belarus Although the Council of Europe has expressed its disappointment over the organisation of the parliamentary elections in Belarus on 15 October 2000, notwithstanding some efforts by the authorities to satisfy the expectations of the European institutions, the Chairmanship remains hopeful that timely steps will be taken by Belarus to ensure truly free and fair presidential elections in 2001. To this end, the Chairman will continue to offer support through the Committee of Ministers to the strengthening of the democratic process in Belarus, which should lead to the normalisation of the country's relations with the Council of Europe. (f) standing ready to assist the OSCE in fulfilling its aims in relation to Moldova, in particular the region of Transnistria The Chairman acknowledges the leading role of the OSCE in pursuing the implementation of the decisions of the Istanbul Summit regarding the Republic of Moldova and stands ready to propose to the Committee of Ministers to provide any appropriate assistance, in particular the expertise of the Venice Commission. (g) giving greater visibility to Council of Europe presence and activities through a rejuvenated information strategy In its Resolution (2000)2 the Committee of Ministers agreed on guidelines for an overall strategy of the Council of Europe's information policy, the aim of which is to allow the Organisation to fulfil its functions with greater credibility and transparency. The Chairman together with the Secretariat will take stock of the implementation of its guidelines, particularly with regard to the use of new information technologies. (h) seeking flexibility in order to concentrate budgetary and human resources on increasing field presence and strengthening assistance programmes in priority areas Over the recent years, the Council of Europe has seen a significant increase in the diversity and scale of activities, which has not been matched by a sufficient increase in the Organisation's budget. The Chairmanship will continue to support the Committee of Minister's efforts to maximise the operational efficiency and impact of the Council of Europe in an increasing number of politically sensitive regions, notably through continued prioritisation of its activities. 2.To ensure the continued effectiveness of expertise of the Council of Europe in the field of human rights by (a) addressing through budgetary and other means the backlog caused by the increasing caseload of the European Court of Human Rights Although important internal streamlining measures have been taken and some further reforms could still be envisaged to ease the workload of the Court, the Chairmanship will urge the Committee of Ministers to consider both a budgetary increase and more far-reaching reforms in order to ensure the continued effectiveness of the Court and, hence, the ECHR. (b) emphasizing the importance of implementation of judgements of the European Court of Human Rights In order to maintain the standard of human rights protection provided by the ECHR, it is essential that states fully comply with their formal undertaking to abide by the final judgements of the Court; this has been underlined by the Parliamentary Assembly in its Recommendation 1477(2000), which will be carefully considered by the Committee of Ministers with a view to adopting a convincing reply. (c) maintaining dialogue through the Liaison Committee with the European Court of Human Rights on the future of human rights protection in Europe and on questions affecting the Court The recent creation of a Liaison Committee is a welcome development in the dialogue between the Committee of Ministers and the Court, especially in view of the pressing need to address the problems above. (d) increasing awareness of the ECHR through the mass media, Council of Europe Information Centres, Council of Europe cooperation programmes and by other means The ECHR is the principal human rights protection instrument of the Council of Europe; the 50th anniversary of the ECHR is an excellent opportunity to remind Europeans of their right to protection against violation of the rights enshrined in the ECHR. Noting the need for better understanding of the ECHR at a national level, Latvia intends to hold in early 2001 in Riga a seminar on the practical application of the ECHR in administrative procedure and the national court system. The results of this seminar should contribute to the dialogue with the European Court of Human Rights in the framework of the Liaison Committee. (e) studying the implications of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union on human rights protection in Europe Whilst welcoming the efforts of the European Union to make the importance and relevance of fundamental rights more visible to its citizens, the Committee of Ministers has repeatedly emphasised the need to ensure that the Charter does not lead to new dividing lines in Europe. The Chairmanship will ensure that the Committee of Ministers continues to give careful attention to the implications of the newly adopted Charter on the well-established human rights protection provided by the ECHR. 3. To emphasise the standard-setting role of the Council of Europe by (a) maintaining the Committee of Ministers monitoring procedure, in line with the revised and updated vade mecum, as an effective and non-discriminatory mechanism for assessing compliance with member state commitments The Committee of Ministers will continue to be guided in this highly valuable procedure by the principles of confidentiality, non-discrimination and a thematic approach. (b) actively encouraging applicant states, such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, to achieve such progress that will enable them to join the Council of Europe at the earliest opportunity The enlargement process involves a careful balancing of the political desirability of giving applicant states a realistic prospect of accession against the need to avoid erosion of the fundamental values and standards of the Council of Europe. Through prioritisation of assistance programmes and by other means the Chairmanship will support the efforts of the Parliamentary Assembly to achieve this balance when evaluating the commitment of applicant states to meeting Council of Europe standards. (c) intensifying dialogue with observer states and other potential partners with the aim of promoting greater international recognition of Council of Europe standards The Council of Europe and its Observer States mutually benefit from their relations. Being a truly pan-European organisation, the Council of Europe is a "one-stop" information source for Observer States on the development of European standards in democracy, human rights and the rule of law. At the same time, the Council of Europe welcomes the opportunity to involve Observer States in its activities, notably in the building of democratic stability, and to accept their accession to a number of legal instruments and other initiatives. (d) raising awareness of the role of the Council of Europe in outlining measures to combat racism and intolerance The Chairmanship pays tribute to the committed work of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) in the preparations for the European Conference against Racism and Intolerance (Strasbourg, October 2000). The political declaration of the Committee of Ministers and the general conclusions of the conference will be a valuable European contribution to the World Conference (Johannesburg, August 2001). The Chairman will ensure that the Committee of Ministers follows up its commitments to the implementation of measures outlined in the political declaration. 4. To highlight the contribution of the Council of Europe to the defining of cultural identities by (a) drawing attention, in the framework of the European Year of Languages, to the role of the Council of Europe in protecting and promoting the rich linguistic diversity of Europe The Council of Europe together with the European Union has agreed to proclaim 2001 as the European Year of Languages, with the intention of raising awareness of the desirability for more intensified and diversified language training, as language skills play a key role in promoting mutual understanding and respect for cultural identities. Latvia will be holding a conference of the Council of Europe in Riga on 19-20 April 2001 to draw greater attention to the particular need to protect and promote smaller and lesser-known European languages. (b) engaging, together with the upcoming presidencies of Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Luxembourg, in a study of factors that may boost a cohesive cultural and political identity in the Council of Europe area The Council of Europe has a long history of striving to evolve common standards and values for its member states. The vast experience of this Organisation, and its pan-European nature, make it the ideal forum for reaching a new understanding of the notion of "European identity", a broad unifying sentiment that could be tapped to facilitate European integration. Latvia will be organising in March 2001 in Strasbourg the preparatory meeting for a colloquy of the Secretary General, "The European Identity: from the cultural to the political, an identity without borders", which will be articulated around the presidencies of Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Luxembourg with a view to finalising a declaration on European political identity. (c) celebrating the achievements of the Council of Europe campaign "Europe: a common heritage" In 1999 the Council of Europe launched a campaign on the theme "Europe: a common heritage" in honour of the 50th anniversary of the Council of Europe and the welcoming of the new millennium. This campaign has showcased the Council of Europe's know-how in the preservation of cultural heritage. Being particularly active in this field, Latvia is honoured to have been chosen to host the closing ceremony of the campaign in Riga on 7-10 December 2000. 5.To increase the effectiveness of the Council of Europe by (a) seeking to improve the Council of Europe's flexibility and impact by considering ways of lessening budgetary constraints In line with the Final Report of the Committee of Wise persons and subsequent follow-up, the Secretary General has submitted to the Committee of Ministers a strategic document or memorandum setting out priorities for 2001 and their budgetary implications. With some fine-tuning and updating this memorandum will serve as an excellent basis for consideration of the 2001 budget. Whilst eventually envisaging the need for an overall increase in the Organisation's budget, the Chairmanship supports the present proposal of the Secretary General for a new definition of "zero real growth" of the budget. (b) emphasising the relative advantages and potential of the Council of Europe in promoting values and aims common to a number of international organisations, with a view to prioritisation of its own activities and complementarity with other bodies The need for flexible, problem-oriented division of labour between individual international institutions in a number of problem areas around Europe is not only a result of the strained operational budget of the Council of Europe. Care must be taken to ensure that the international community presents a coherent front and offers no opportunity for "forum shopping". The Chairman greatly values the Commissioner for Human Rights as an asset in the Council of Europe's dialogue with its partner organisations. (c) building on the solid basis of cooperation already formed with the EU and OSCE Common Catalogue of Co-operation Modalities, signed earlier this year, complemented by regular 2+2 meetings, forms a flexible and pragmatic basis for enhanced cooperation between the Council of Europe and the OSCE. The Chairmanship will build on the results achieved by the latest high level 2+2 meeting on 31 October 2000. The Council of Europe equally values its cooperation with the European Union, notably through the Joint Programmes and quadripartite meetings. The Chairmanship hopes that that the European Commission will be prepared to resume consideration of a "joint declaration on cooperation and partnership" with the Council of Europe in the near future. (d) intensifying dialogue and cooperation with the United Nations Latvian Chairmanship shares the view of the Secretary General that the dialogue and practical cooperation established with the UN and its agencies on the ground should be made more politically evident. The Chairman welcomes the progress already made by the Committee of Ministers in this field thanks to the efforts of its Rapporteur on the UN, as well as the Parliamentary Assembly and the Secretary General. The UN Resolution on Cooperation between the UN and the Council of Europe, introduced by Italy and adopted at the 55th session of the General Assembly, is an important step forward, as were the recent exchange of views with the Secretary General of the UN in the Committee of Ministers and the address of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to the UN General Assembly. The Chairmanship will represent the Council of Europe in the next tripartite meeting with the UN and the OSCE in February 2001. (e) deepening existing cooperation within the Council of Europe of the Committee of Ministers with the Parliamentary Assembly and the CLRAE Committee of Ministers welcomes its regular dialogue with the Parliamentary Assembly as a valuable opportunity to improve mutual understanding of the challenges faced by both bodies. The Chairman of the Committee of Ministers looks forward to the opportunity to meet with the Political Affairs Committee in Riga on 12-13 December 2000. The Chairmanship is also aware of the need to maintain active dialogue with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe and will be organising an international conference on 3-4 May 2001 in Riga on "Local Government in the 21st Century". (f) further developing a medium-term policy-making capacity by means such as colloquies and greater involvement of Political Directors from Ministries recognition of the need for stronger planning capacities, the Chairmanship welcomes the creation of the Strategic planning and programme coordination directorate and the Communication and research directorate earlier this year. These new structures should facilitate medium-term policy making in the Council of Europe through initiatives such as the Secretary General's colloquies on priority issues. Improved medium-term planning goes hand in hand with much closer cooperation between successive chairmanships. As indicated earlier, the Latvian Chairmanship will be holding the preparatory meeting for the Secretary General's colloquy together with Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Luxembourg. The Chairmanship will also invite the political directors of member states to give their opinion on the possibilities of enhanced coordination in order to facilitate policy planning. (g) summarizing progress of reorganisation of ministerial sessions to improve their political impact The Committee of Ministers has held numerous discussions on institutional reforms intended to increase the political impact of ministerial sessions. Many useful and imaginative ideas have been put forward by various delegations, in particular Italy. The Latvian Chairmanship will prepare, together with the Secretariat, a "package" summarizing the outcome of these discussions and setting down the most feasible reforms for repeated consideration by the Committee of Ministers. This package should also include an outline of measures to ensure greater continuity between successive chairmanships.
CONTACT INFORMATION Permanent Mission of the Republic of Latvia to the Council of Europe Information and Documentation Centre of the Council of Europe
USEFUL LINKS Council of Europe: http://www.coe.int/ |
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