A new way of cooperation and adherence
Strasbourg, 27th June, 2019
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The Council of Europe is facing important challenges in the year of its 70th anniversary. Besides the question of a sustainable financing of our Organisation and on how to tackle corruption we need to improve our ability to give a proper answer to those countries who break the rules of the Organisation in a fundamental way. Till now, we do not have such an efficient answer. This answer should provide for a clear and consistent procedure between the two organs, the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly.
On this basis we discussed und decided to tackle the Russian issue in a new way of cooperation without limiting the Russians representatives’ ability to work in the Assembly. The Russian Federation has to show now its willingness to fully cooperate with all the bodies of the Council of Europe. And surely, they have to fully implement the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights.
Our Organisation is about human rights, the rule of law and democracy. If we would try to solve territorial conflicts, it will be beyond our capacities. But this does not mean that this Organisation does not have a clear opinion about the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. Crimea is a part of Ukraine. Now and forever. This is the common position of the Organisation. To interpret the decisions of this week as a change of this position, like the Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the State Duma did it during an interview on Russian TV, is a malicious misinterpretation of the decisions taken and the opposite of trust building.
Russian Federation has to fulfil its obligations and to show the willingness for cooperation. This includes the release of the 24 Ukrainian sailors, the fully cooperation in the case of Flight MH17, taking effective measures aimed at preventing violations of human rights of LGBTI people, in particular, in the Chechen Republic, to cooperate fully with the international community in the investigation of the murder of Boris Nemtsov and much more. Next year we will come back to the issue to follow up if the Russian authorities succeed to show their good and active will for cooperation.
The Committee of Ministers has to establish a new procedure of a common answer from the two bodies of the Council of Europe following the decision made in the Ministerial Conference in Helsinki in May. It has to be as fast and as efficient as possible. This is the basis of the mutual cooperation in a trustful way.
Strasbourg, 27th June, 2019
