APA was informed by the Council of Europe Information Office in Azerbaijan. It was informed that, alleged secret detentions in Council of Europe member states, the need for international condemnation of the crimes of totalitarian communist regimes and human rights violations in the Chechen Republic are among subjects scheduled for debate during the Winter Session of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg from 23 to 27 January 2006.

The current affairs debate on alleged secret detentions is likely to take place on the morning of Tuesday 24 January at 10.30 a.m. Dick Marty (Switzerland, ALDE), who is investigating these allegations, is due to give his interim assessment in an information memorandum to be made public at the opening of the debate.

Invited personalities include European Commission President Jos? Manuel Barroso, Romanian President Traian Basescu, Bulgarian Prime Minister Serguei Stanishev and the President of the Mexican Senate Jackson Ramirez. Romanian Foreign Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu will present the Communication from the Committee of Ministers to the Parliamentary Assembly, and Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis will give his annual communication on the state of the Council of Europe.

The President of the UN General Assembly Jan Eliasson will speak in a debate on the parliamentary dimension of the United Nations and Dutch Integration and Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk is due to take part in a debate on the policy of return for failed asylum seekers in the Netherlands.