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Ministers' Deputies
2 Political Questions
2.4 Relations with the United Nations - Parliamentary
Assembly Recommendation 1411 (1999)
Reference documents
CM/Del/Dec(2000)705/2.5, 713/2.4
CM(2000)38
Rap-UN(2000)1
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It is recalled that the Deputies, at their 705th meeting (30 March 2000, item 2.5) adopted an interim reply to Recommendation 1411 (1999), also informing the Assembly of their agreement to resume consideration of it, with a view to adopting a substantive reply before the Assemby’s June part-Session.
DRAFT DECISION
715th meeting – 21 June 2000
Item 2.4
Relations with the United Nations
- Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1411 (1999)
(CM/Del/Dec(2000)705/2.5, 713/2.4, CM(2000)38, Rap-UN(2000)1)
Decision
The Deputies adopted the following reply to Recommendation 1411 (1999) of the Parliamentary Assembly on relations with the United Nations:
"1. The Committee of Ministers has taken careful note of Recommendation 1411 (1999) of the Parliamentary Assembly on Relations with the United Nations with a view to the feasibility of its implementation in the near future.
2. In this Recommendation the Assembly refers to its two previous Recommendations 1252 (1994) and 1367 (1998). The Assembly expresses the view that the proposals made therein have not received "any substantial follow-up" by the Committee of Ministers. In that respect, the Committee of Ministers wishes to draw the Assembly's attention to its replies, contained in documents 7286 of 24 April 1995 and 8306 of 26 January 1999.
3. In addition, the Committee of Ministers is pleased to inform the Parliamentary Assembly of some substantive steps taken to expedite the implementation of the above recommendations. The Committee submits that such steps have already led to tangible progress.
4. At the 692nd meeting on 15 December 1999 of the Ministers' Deputies, they charged Ambassador Erkki Kourula, Permanent Representative of Finland, to provide an exploratory report on follow-up options to Recommendation 1411(1999). This Report, submitted to the Parliamentary Assembly in document 8716 of 13 April 2000, examines the recommendations made in operative paragraph 9 of Recommendation 1411 (1999).
5. On the basis of the Report, the Ministers' Deputies held a debate on their 703rd meeting (22 and 24 March 2000). On 7 June, in their 713rd meeting, the Deputies further adopted a decision, inviting the Chairman-in-Office, on their behalf, to seek the inclusion on the agenda of the 55th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations of an item "Co-operation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe". The implementation of the decision is now being actively followed up between the Secretariats of the Council of Europe and the United Nations. This implementation is also in line with the thrust of paragraph 9(a) of Recommendation 1411 (1999) of the Parliamentary Assembly.
6. As regards other recommendations in paragraph 9, the Committee of Ministers wishes to make the following points:
i) the follow-up to be given to the Report of Ambassador Kourula (document 8716, 13 April 2000) is under active review. In the meantime, the Secretary General and the Chairman-in-Office are contemplating how the country holding the Chair of the Committee of Ministers could represent the Council of Europe in matters of high importance to the organisation discussed in the United Nations bodies. Meanwhile, the possibility of a permanent presence of the Council of Europe in New York is being considered.
ii) an invitation has been extended to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
iii) the Secretariat is making early arrangements for the Council of Europe to make a statement on co-operation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe in the course of the 55th session of the General Assembly (the Millennium Assembly). The Secretary General should make a statement in the plenary of the Assembly. It is proposed that the profile of the Council of Europe could be enhanced if separate statements on behalf of the Council of Europe were to be made in the third Committee under the cluster of human rights, including when the Report of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights is considered.
iv) the Council of Europe has participated actively in the Special Session of the General Assembly on "Women in 2000" held from 5 to 9 June 2000 in New York, highlighting in particular the Council of Europe's work to combat trafficking in women for sexual exploitation and its activities in favour of gender mainstreaming.
v) the Council of Europe will participate in a similarly active manner in the Special Session of the General Assembly on the "Implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development" to be held in Geneva from 26 to 30 June 2000, focussing on the Council of Europe's strategy for social cohesion, particularly the protection of social rights, access to housing, employment and social protection and family and children policies. The Council further intends to submit a document to this Special Session containing a message adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 11 May 2000.
vi) the Council of Europe will also contribute to the fourth meeting between the United Nations and the Heads of Regional Organisations, to be convened by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, in New York later this year. The theme "Co-operation for Peace Building" will allow the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to share the Organisation’s expertise in this area with the participants, also including the heads of international financial institutions.
vii) the Secretary General of the Council of Europe paid, on 2 May 2000 a visit to New York where he had an opportunity to exchange views with the Deputy-Secretary General and senior officials of the United Nations. The meetings held during the visit touched on both generic and situation specific issues of mutual interest to the Council of Europe and the United Nations. They enhanced the existing relationship between the two organisations and further deepened understanding of their complementary functions, including in the field of prevention of conflicts. In view of Recommendation 1411(1999) of the Parliamentary Assembly particular emphasis was placed on the respective roles of the two institutions in Kosovo. The Council has since received a formal invitation from the United Nations to provide electoral assistance in Kosovo. [This request was subsequently approved, in principle, by the Committee of Ministers on 7 June 2000 in a decision authorising the setting-up of a mission for observation of civil registration and municipal elections in Kosovo.]
viii) the Council of Europe has taken a lead in regional preparations in Europe for the 2001 World Conference on "Racism and Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance". A pan-European Conference at ministerial level, will be held in Strasbourg in October this year in order to co-ordinate European preparations for the World Conference.
ix) finally, regular high-level and target oriented tri-partite meetings, between the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the OSCE, have produced some tangible improvements in the collaboration and co-ordination of activities.
7. As was mentioned in paragraph 3 above, the relations between the Council of Europe and the United Nations are intensifying. In this process, the Council is ever more vigilant to also co-ordinate with the other regional organisations in Europe. The Council is aware of the need to draw on the complementary functions and competencies of the two Organisations in resolving the difficult and multifaceted issues and situations it is currently engaged with."