Merkel: Russia could rejoin PACE under certain conditions
The Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) could be reinstated under certain conditions, said German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, as cited by Interfax-Ukraine.
"With respect to Russia's reinstatement into the Council of Europe, we have had different ideas. We have had to weigh up two things. Firstly, [Russia's] violation of international law against Ukraine. This is a problem which cannot be ignored by the international community. But for Russia to be reinstated, certain conditions must be met, and it will not be done at any cost," Merkel said during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin on 18 June.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said recently that he wants to avoid fully excluding Russia from the council of Europe.
On 3 June, a PACE committee adopted a resolution that proposes to reinstate the Russian delegation's powers so that it can participate in the June session.
The Russian delegation has not participated in the PACE for several years, since its rights were taken away on account of Crimea and the developments in the Donbas. Russia has stopped paying any contributions to the Council of Europe, which could lead to its exclusion from the organization. Russia has said that it will not pay membership fees unless its delegation is fully reinstated with all the associated rights.
The Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) could be reinstated under certain conditions, said German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, as cited by Interfax-Ukraine. "With respect to Russia's reinstatement into the Council of Europe, we have had different...
Russia forms delegation to attend PACE session
The Federation Council and the State Duma of Russia formed a delegation on June 19 for possible participation in the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), reports TASS news agency.
"The Council of the Duma approved the formation of the Duma delegation of the Federal Assembly in PACE or, as it is officially called, the deputation of the State Duma. It included 22 people - 11 representatives and 11 deputies. According to the inter-factional quota principle, 14 deputies were nominated from the faction Yedinaya Rossiya, three deputies from the LDPR and the Communist party, two - from the Spravedlivaya Rossiya party," - said the Chairman of the State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky.
At the same time, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev said that the Federation Council formed its part of the Russian delegation to PACE on Wednesday headed by the First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, former Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak.
On May 17 at a meeting in Helsinki, more than 30 Foreign Ministers of the Council of Europe member States adopted a decision that opens the way for Russia's return to PACE under an emergency procedure. The Council of Europe also allowed Russia to participate in the elections of the new Secretary General.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that Kyiv would reconsider their position to PACE, in case if Russian delegation returns to the Parliamentary Assembly.
Angela Merkel, during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, that Russia's PACE membership will not be restored at any cost.
The Federation Council and the State Duma of Russia formed a delegation on June 19 for possible participation in the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), reports TASS news agency. "The Council of the Duma approved the formation of the Duma delegation of...