1 June 1999

No. 99/496

Reference documents

- CM/Del/Dec(99)669/10.1

(ETS No. 112)

The Deputies are called to invite Panama to accede to the Convention on the transfer of sentenced persons (ETS No. 112).

The Secretary General received a letter dated 11 December 1998 from Ms Elena Barletta de Nottebohm, the Chargé d'Affaires a.i of the Embassy of the Republic of Panama in Brussels, by which the Government of Panama expressed the wish to be invited to accede to the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (ETS No. 112) (copy of the letter appears at Appendix 1)

At the request of the authorities of Panama, the Secretariat ascertained informally the opinion among the Member States' Delegations, by letter dated 8 January 1998 (copy of the letter appears at Appendix 2). The Delegations were asked to inform the Secretariat by 1 February 1999 if their authorities would object to the accession of Panama, if such a request was formally submitted to the Committee of Ministers. By 1 February 1999 the Secretariat had received no objection.

Following the informal consultation of the Member States, Ms Barletta de Nottebohm confirmed orally on 4 February 1999 that Panama wishes to maintain the request to be invited to accede to the Convention.

At their 669^th meeting (22 April 1999, item 10.1), the Deputies instructed the Secretariat to consult the non member States parties to the Convention on the transfer of sentenced persons, in accordance with the practise established. The deadline for the consultation of these non member States has been set at 10 June 1999. At the time of issuing the present Notes, no objection has been made.

Item 10.1

ON THE TRANSFER OF SENTENCED PERSONS (ETS No. 112)

The Deputies invited Panama to accede to the Convention on the transfer of sentenced persons (ETS No. 112).

Brussels, 11 December 1998

Dear Secretary General,

I refer to your memorandum JJ262 MR/cd to this diplomatic mission from Mr Guy De Vel, Director of Legal Affairs, (Strasbourg, 13 November 1998).

Having studied all the information the memorandum provided us with and carried out preliminary consultations, we are in a position to request you officially, on behalf of the Republic of Panama, to set in motion the procedure for acceding to the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (ETS 112).

We note that the process begins with an informal sounding by the Secretariat before the matter is formally put on the Committee of Ministers agenda, at which point our country must say whether it maintains its accession request. After consultations with some of the states which are parties to the convention and after scrutiny by the competent Panamanian authorities, we are able to assure you of our intention of maintaining our expression of interest in acceding to the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (ETS 112).

Yours faithfully,

(signed)

Elena Barletta de Nottebohm

Acting Chargé d'Affaires

Mr Daniel TARSCHYS

Secretary General

Council of Europe

Postbox 431 R6

F-67006 STRASBOURG CEDEX