PACE Monitoring Committee Suggests To Ratify Russia's Credentials On Certain Conditions

The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) suggested on Wednesday in a draft resolution to ratify the credentials of the Russian delegation if Russia fulfilled certain conditions

STRASBOURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th June, 2019) The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) suggested on Wednesday in a draft resolution to ratify the credentials of the Russian delegation if Russia fulfilled certain conditions.

PACE adopted on the night into Tuesday a resolution stating that the basic rights of delegations to PACE are not subject to any sanctions. PACE also officially invited the Russian delegation to participate in the ongoing June session. The Russian delegation then submitted an application to confirm its credentials for the first time since 2016. On Tuesday, at the initiative of Ukrainian and Georgian lawmakers, the credentials of the new Russian delegation were challenged on both substantial and procedural grounds. A decision was made to prepare a report on the credentials of the delegation within 24 hours by the rules of procedure and monitoring committees. The Russian delegation intends to refuse to work in PACE if the report applies "slightest sanctions." A vote to determine the rights of the Russian delegation will be held later on Wednesday.

"The Assembly resolves to ratify the credentials of the Russian delegation. In return, the Assembly calls on the Russian Federation to fulfill all recommendations included in Resolutions 1990 (2014), 2034 (2015) and 2063 (2015)," the report, prepared by rapporteur Roger Gale, read.

The Monitoring Committee called on the Russian delegation to return to cooperation with all PACE committees and engage in dialogue on its obligations.

"The Assembly calls on the Russian authorities to release the 24 Ukrainian sailors captured in the Kerch Strait on the charge of "illegally crossing the border of the Russian Federation"; immediately pay all fees due to the Council of Europe budget; unconditionally and fully co-operate with the joint investigation team and the Dutch prosecution service in bringing these responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH 17 to justice; take effective measures aimed at preventing violations of human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people, in particular in the Chechen Republic, and prosecute the perpetrators for acts committed in the past; co-operate fully with the international community in the investigation of the murder of [Russian politician] Boris Nemtsov," the draft resolution read.

PACE hopes that "its clear offer of dialogue will be reciprocal and will lead to concrete results," the document read on.