PACE spring session opens in Strasbourg

PanARMENIAN.Net - Addresses by Finnish President Tarja Halonen and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero are among highlights of the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that opened in Strasbourg on April 27.



On the first day of the session there will be a short celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of the Council of Europe.



Two requests for debates under urgent procedure have been submitted, one from the Socialist Group on the functioning of democratic institutions in Moldova, and one from the Committee of Ministers for an opinion on draft Protocol No. 14 bis to the European Convention on Human Rights, which aims at simplifying the internal procedures of the European Court of Human Rights.



The parliamentarians are also due to debate the humanitarian consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia, as well as the follow-up given by these two member states to the Assembly's Resolution 1647.



Other items on the agenda include the situation of human rights defenders in Council of Europe member states, the honoring of obligations and commitments by Serbia, and action to combat gender-based human rights violations, including abduction of women and girls. On the fringe of this debate, Humayra Abedin, a Bangladeshi doctor working in the United Kingdom who was abducted by her family and forcibly married, will give a press conference, together with her lawyer.



Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Co-operation Miguel Angel Moratinos will present the Communication from the Committee of Ministers to the Assembly. Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg will also present his 2008 annual activity report.



The Assembly will decide on its final agenda at the opening of the session, PACE communication unit reported.



The situation in Armenia will not be discussed.