The News (Site updated Friday, January 16, 2009 | 16:00)
Terry Davis: operations in Gaza are not making Israel any safer
[16/01/2009 11:30:00] ''Israel has a right to protect itself, but what is happening in Gaza is wrong. The indiscriminate use of force by Israel in Gaza is hurting the civilian population, violating human rights on a massive scale and causing great destruction - but it is not making Israel any safer. If anything, it facilitates the recruitment of terrorists. It is high time for Israel to stop the violence and think hard about what it can do to repair the consequences. At the end of the day, the Israeli leaders will have to understand that a lasting peace and security can only be achieved together with the Palestinian people and Israel’s neighbours,'' stated the Secretary General, on 16 January.
Photo: AFP(more ...)
Azerbaijan: statement on the non-renewal of licences of foreign broadcasters
[15/01/2009 09:00:00] ''When it acceded to the Council of Europe in 2001, Azerbaijan undertook to guarantee the freedom of expression and independence of the media, which are essential preconditions for the functioning of a democratic society. We find it highly regrettable that the Azerbaijani National Radio and Television Council recently decided not to renew the licences of several foreign broadcasters'' declared Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, and Lluís Maria De Puig, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, on 15 January.
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Secretary General
Terry Davis: Statement on Albanian lustration law
[16/01/2009 09:30:00] ''For several decades, the Albanian people suffered under one of the hardest and most ruthless communist regimes in Europe, and I therefore understand the effort to establish the truth and sanction those who violated human rights during this period. But any such effort must comply with Council of Europe standards of democracy, human rights and the rule of law,'' declared the Secretary General on 16 January.
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Terry Davis meets Cyril Svoboda
[14/01/2009 17:00:00] On 14 January, the Secretary General Terry Davis met Cyril Svoboda, Minister, Chairman of the Legislative Council of the Government of the Czech Republic. Their discussions focused on the need for closer cooperation between the Council of Europe and European Union.
Terry Davis meets María Teresa Fernández de la Vega
[13/01/2009 17:00:00] The Secretary general Terry Davis met on 13 January with Ms María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, the Vice-President and Minister of the Presidency of Spain. The discussion focused on the priorities of the Spanish Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, which include the fight against terrorism, the abolition of the death penalty and gender equality
The Congress Bureau meeting in Luxembourg
[15/01/2009 17:00:00] The Bureau of the Congress will meet in Luxembourg on 20 January. Among issues to be discussed are the preparation of the forthcoming plenary session of the Congress (3-5 March 2009), as well as the observation of elections to the Supreme Council of Adjara (Georgia) held on 3 November 2008.
Assembly’s Presidential Committee to visit Moscow
[16/01/2009 10:00:00] The Presidential Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly, led by its President, Lluís Maria de Puig, will visit Moscow on 19 January as part of the follow-up to the Assembly’s resolution on the consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia.
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Assembly Winter Session highlights
[15/01/2009 15:00:00] The implementation of Resolution 1633 on the consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia and the humanitarian consequences of the conflict, the situation in Gaza, and the consequences of the global financial crisis are among the highlights of the Assembly Winter session from 26 to 30 January.
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Armenia: co-rapporteurs make monitoring visit
[13/01/2009 15:00:00] Georges Colombier and John Prescott, Assembly co-rapporteurs on the monitoring of obligations and commitments by Armenia, are in Yerevan from 14 to 16 January, for a follow-up visit in connection with the implementation of Assembly Resolutions 1609 (2008) and 1620 (2008) on the functioning of democratic institutions in Armenia.
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Italy: ''Serious problems remain, but constructive talks are a promising first step''
[16/01/2009 16:00:00] ''The situation of Roma and immigration policy are still a matter of concern. But the commitments now made by the authorities to improve the situation are a positive step,'' said Thomas Hammarberg, the Commissioner for Human Rights, on 15 January during his visit to Rome.
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Money laundering: report on Azerbaijan
[14/01/2009 12:00:00] The Moneyval Committee (Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism) published on 14 January the Second Evaluation report on Azerbaijan.
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Anti-torture Committee publishes report on Serbia
[14/01/2009 09:30:00] The Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment has published on 14 January the report on its periodic visit to Serbia in 2007, together with the Serbian authorities’ response. These documents have been made public at the request of the Serbian Government.
Photo: Gamma(more ...)
2009: Celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Council of Europe
[23/12/2008 09:30:00] ''The Council of Europe was created 60 years ago with the aim of achieving greater unity between its members. The year 2009 is an opportunity to mark this anniversary and to look towards the future and the challenges it brings'', stated Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, Lluís Maria De Puig, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, and Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
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SEE ALSO
Thomas Hammarberg: ''Discrimination against transgender persons must no longer be tolerated''(more ...)
Yavuz Mildon: ''2008 was truly the year of the Congress’ renewal''(more ...)
Fight against discrimination: Strasbourg poster campaign(more ...)
Terry Davis: Lighting the Flame of Peace Speech [FR]
Terry Davis: new lustration law in Albania(more ...)
Break the silence on domestic violence (2008)
Search the news 
Azerbaijan: statement on the non-renewal of licences of foreign broadcasters
Terry Davis meets Cyril Svoboda
Terry Davis meets María Teresa Fernández de la Vega
''Speak-out against discrimination''
''Stop domestic violence against women''
Dosta! ''Fight prejudices towards Roma''
''All Different, All Equal''
''Building a Europe for and with Children''
Assembly Winter Session highlights
Italy: ''Serious problems remain, but constructive talks are a promising first step''
Money laundering: report on Azerbaijan
Anti-torture Committee publishes report on Serbia
2009: Celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Council of Europe
