RPT - Russia's Return To PACE Important For Enforcement Of Standards - EU Human Rights Envoy

RPT - Russia's Return to PACE Important for Enforcement of Standards - EU Human Rights Envoy

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th July, 2019) The return of Russia to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is a welcome step and particularly important for implementation of human rights standards in Europe, EU Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore told Sputnik.

"I very much welcome the decision that was made by the Council of Europe which has enabled Russia to return to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. I think that Russia plays a very important role in the Council of Europe," Gilmore said. "I think, Council of Europe is especially important for the discussion of human rights issues throughout Europe, but also it's specifically important in terms of the implementation and enforcement of human rights standards in Europe and in particular, the role that European Court of Human Rights plays. So, the return of Russia to the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly I think is a very positive step."

Gilmore added that he is confident of continuing regular discussions with Russia on human rights issues.

"I recently met with the Ambassador of Russia to the European Union, and I will be meeting with him again. We have a continuing discussion with Russia on human rights issues, and I have no doubt that that will continue," he said.

"We envisage regular discussion, regular dialogue with Russia on human rights issues."

Gilmore also expressed hope to visit Russia in the near future for talks on human rights issues.

Russia returned to the assembly in June after the vote to restore the delegation's voting rights, which were stripped amid the Ukrainian crisis in 2014.

At the end of June, PACE officially invited the Russian delegation to participate in its June session after restoring the rights. Moscow then submitted an application to confirm its credentials in the assembly for the first time since 2016.

Following Crimea's reunification with Russia back in 2014, the country's delegation within PACE had its voting rights revoked. Five years later, the West still refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the Crimean referendum despite Russia maintaining that the vote was carried out in accordance with international law.

PACE's decision to restore Russia's full rights angered the Ukrainian delegation, which earlier had submitted 226 changes to a proposed resolution dedicated to the Russian delegation's return to the assembly. Following PACE's announcement, the delegations of Ukraine, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia left the session.