| On July 14 YABLOKO leaders meet with members of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe, Rapporteurs on the monitoring
of Russia, Mr Andreas Gross and Mr Gyorgy Frunda, and Ms.
Agnieszka Nachilo, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Monitoring
Committee.
The rapporteurs are preparing a report on the monitoring of
Russia's obligations and commitments entered upon accession
to the Council of Europe for the presentation in the Parliamentary
Assembly. The previous resolutions on Russia were adopted
by PACE in 2005.
The YABLOKO party was represented by its Chair Sergei Mitrokhin,
Dr.Grigory Yavlinsky, member of YABLOKOs Political Committee
and founder of the party, and Sergei Kovalyov, human rights
activist, member of YABLOKOs Political Committee and head
of YABLOKOs Human Rights faction.
Discussing Russian membership in the Council of Europe and
Russias implementation of its obligations before the CE,
YABLOKOs representatives noted that the Council of Europe
represents today the only bridge connecting Russia with
the democratic world. Answering the question from PACE members
how they could help Russia, YABLOKOs leaders said that the
best aid is to say the truth [to the Russian counterparts
as well as to EU members] about what has been happening in
Russia and how Russia fulfils its obligations.
YABLOKOs leaders also expressed their view that, in contrast
to Western diplomats and journalists working in Russia, Western
politicians have only a vague notion of the situation in Russia.
According to YABLOKOs representatives, it would be more efficient
if PACE could establish a special expert council on Russia.
Sergei Mitrokhin proposed to change the principles of PACE
formation. According to him, Russias deputies in PACE should
be elected via direct elections in Russia at CE control over
such election. Only such deputies can really represent the
Russian people in the Council Europe.
The participants of the meeting also discussed the economic
situation in the European Union. Dr.Yavlinsky expressed his
concern that in view of worsening of the economic situation
in the EU Western politicians may increasingly rely on Realpolitik
in their relations with Russia swapping democratic principles
and values for oil and gas shipments.
According to Sergei Kovalyov, the Russian authorities rely
on hypocrisy of the international politics which has been
complying with the description given to it by Machiavelli.
Politicians are used to a situation when no one demands truth
from them. Moreover what we all over the world are calling
the democratic values has become today a kind of incantation
or a mantra having no real actions behind it, Kovalyov said.
Sergei Kovalyov also noted that the key Russias problem is
insult and negligence of our Constitution. But, according
to Kovalyov, the CE has similar problems. Its charter task
is to guarantee that all the member countries should observe
human rights and democratic procedures. Unfortunately, it
is far from always that the Council of Europe implements these
tasks, he said.
The rapporteurs noted that in spite of the fact that Russia
did not comply with all the CE standards on the moment of
joining the Council of Europe, the country was undertaking
certain efforts for implementation of its obligations. However,
several years later Russia stopped making steps towards the
Council of Europe, and the Council of Europe was not insistent
enough so that to make Russia to implement its obligations.
The parties also discussed Russias implementation of the
decision of the European Court of Human Rights and prospects
of the YUKOS case in the European Court and the suit by YUKOS
minority shareholders in the Hague Tribunal.
Grigory Yavlinsky answered the rapporteurs questions about
YABLOKOs performance at elections and told them about the
difficulties YABLOKO had to face.
In conclusion Sergei Mitrokhin expressed his thankfulness
to the rapporteurs for the thought-inspiring and honest dialogue.
According to Mitrokhin, Sergei Kovalyovs remarks on the efficiency
of the CE were very significant. At the same time, we, the
Russian civil democratic society, rather than state bureaucracy,
need Russias membership in the CE, Mitrokhin said.
The Council of Europe and other European institutes represent
an important instrument of influence, but it is also important
who operates them. We would like these institutes to be applied
more efficiently, he added.
Phographs:
See also:
Russia-EU
Relations
Human
Rights
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