PACE to debate situation of democracy and human rights in Europe

The situation of democracy and human rights in Europe will be debated in the third day of the session, APA reports.

Nine reports are expected to be presented by different committees of PACE. Following his, the persons invited to the debates will make speech. UN Human Rights Commissioner Luisa Arbour, Thomas Hammarberg Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Jean-Paul Costa chief of European Court of human rights, Irene Khan Secretary General of Amnesty International and Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch on will be among the speakers.

Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis, Halvdan Skard, president of the Congress of Local and Regional authorities and vice-president of Venice Commission Ugo Mifsud Bonnici will make statements on the situation of human rights in Europe.

Jean Michael Bologrev former chief of the European Committee on Social Rights, Muro Palma, chief of European Committee Against Torture, Eve Smith Asmussen, chief of European committee against intolerance and racism, Alan Philipin president of Consulting committee on framework-Convention for protection of national minorities will make statements.

Issue on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict was reflected in the report draw up by the member of PACE commission for legal affairs, parliamentarian from Cyprus Kriostos Purguridis. There are interesting points on Azerbaijan and South Caucasus in the report drawn up by Van Tiji, parliamentarian from the Netherlands who will make speech on behalf of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population.

The report says that the conflicts of Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia impede the solution to the problem of refugees in the region. The report says that extra measures have to be taken to achieve integration of refugees into local society.

"Of course, these people should be given guarantee that they will return to their laces. The solution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict remains uncertain. Azerbaijani government should think of meeting humanitarian needs of these people and determine the strategy of their integration into local society. The possibility of the refugees’ returning to their native lands should be taken into consideration while determining this strategy," the report says.