Ministers' Deputies

Notes on the Agenda

18 May 1999

Restricted

No. 99/470

Reference documents

- CM/Del/Dec(98)639/1.7

- CM(98)186

- CM(98)191

- CM(98)211 rev.

671/1.8

(A level, 19-20 May 1999)

 

ELECTION OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL

Formal transmission of the list of candidates to the Assembly

with a view to the election by the Assembly at its June Session

 

Action

In the light of the meeting of the Joint Committee (Strasbourg, 29 May 1999) and in accordance with Article 5 of the Rules of Procedure for appointment to the post of Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and Clerk of the Assembly having the rank of Deputy Secretary General, the Deputies are invited to adopt the appended draft Resolution.

 

1. At their 639th meeting (September 1998, item 1.7), the Deputies approved the timetable concerning the procedure for the appointment to the post of Secretary General. This timetable foresees, after the consultation of the Parliamentary Assembly at a meeting of the Joint Committee, the adoption by the Deputies, at the 671st meeting, of a Resolution containing the names of candidates to be forwarded to the Parliamentary Assembly.

2. It is recalled that by the closing date for the nomination of candidates (15 February 1999), the Secretary General received the following nominations (in alphabetical order):

- by the Government of the United Kingdom

Mr Terry DAVIS

(CM(98)191)

 

- by the Government of Austria

Mr Walter SCHWIMMER

(CM(98)186)

 

- by the Government of Poland

Mrs Hanna SUCHOCKA

(CM(98)211 revised)

 

3. In conformity with Article 3 of the Rules of Procedure for appointment to the post of Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and Clerk of the Assembly having the rank of Deputy Secretary General, the Deputies interviewed the three candidates for the post of Secretary General on 24 March 1999 (665th meeting, item 1.6).

The Deputies, after these interviews, consulted the Parliamentary Assembly on the appointment of the Secretary General, in accordance with Article 4 of the said procedure, at the Joint Committee (Strasbourg, 29 May 1999) and agreed to resume consideration of this item at the present meeting, in accordance with the timetable concerning the procedure for the election of the Secretary General.

4. It is recalled that the election of the Secretary General will take place during the 3rd part of the 1999 Session of the Parliamentary Assembly (21-25 June 1999).

5. In accordance with Article 5  footnote 1 of the above-mentioned Rules of Procedure, the Committee of Ministers is invited to draw up a list to be submitted to the Assembly. On the occasion of previous nominations, this list has taken the form of a Resolution of the Committee of Ministers.

 

DRAFT DECISION

Item 1.8

ELECTION OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL

(CM/Del/Dec(98)639/1.7, CM(98)186, 191 and 211 rev.)

Decision

The Deputies adopted Resolution (99) .. on the appointment to the post of Secretary General, as it appears at Appendix .. to the present volume of Decisions. <see Appendix to the present Notes on the Agenda>.

 

APPENDIX

(item 1.8)

DRAFT RESOLUTION (99) ..

ON THE APPOINTMENT TO THE POST OF

SECRETARY GENERAL

(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on .............1999,

at the 671st meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

 

The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 36.b of the Statute of the Council of Europe,

Having regard to the Rules of Procedure for appointment to the posts of Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and Clerk of the Assembly having the rank of Deputy Secretary General;

Having examined the three candidatures presented by the Governments of Austria, Poland and the United Kingdom;

Having interviewed the three candidates;

Having consulted the Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly in the Joint Committee;

Decides to transmit to the Parliamentary Assembly, for consideration for appointment to the post of Secretary General, with effect from 1 September 1999, the following candidatures, listed in alphabetical order, with the names of the sponsoring governments in brackets:

Mr Terry DAVIS (United Kingdom)

Mr Walter SCHWIMMER (Austria)

Mrs Hanna SUCHOCKA (Poland).


1    Article 5 of the procedure reads as follows:

"5. Nomination of candidates

(a) Unless it has been otherwise agreed after discussion in the Joint Committee, the Committee of Ministers shall draw up a list containing at least two names, which shall be submitted to the Assembly.

(b) In the case of candidates for the posts of Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General, the Committee of Ministers shall be free to list the names in order of preference, should it so desire."