PACE Plans to Discuss Situation in Belarus

24.01.2011 10:24
Архив Редакция

Winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) starts its work in Strasbourg, France on Monday, January 24. Anne Brasseur, MP from Luxembourg, took the initiative to hold a session of debate on the situation in Belarus after the presidential elections. Format for discussion will be determined on the first day of the parliament session. 

Anne Brasseur has argued the need for a discussion by the fact that mass detention of opposition during the unsanctioned rally on December 19 causes great concern in Europe, RIA «Novosti» news agency.

Under the PACE procedures, Anne Brasseur must obtain MEPs’ 20 signatures for her application approval. PACE has no doubts that this condition will be fulfilled, taking into account that the statutory authority of the Council of Europe (Ministerial Committee) has already expressed its position on the situation in Belarus in a recent statement. One of the Assembly members said that «if PACE decides to hold urgent debate, the discussion will be held on Tuesday or Thursday morning.»

Head of Russian delegation to PACE, Konstantin Kosachev, said that PACE might either hold regular debates without a resolution or adopt a final document following the discussion. According to Konstantin Kosachev, PACE is most likely not to adopt resolution during the current debates. He also recalled that PACE would consider another report on Belarus at the spring session.

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