(Non-official translation from Russian)

Statement by

Sergey M. Mironov, Chairman of the Federation Council, Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation,

at the plenary meeting of the 53rd session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, April 24, 2002

Esteemed Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1 am greatly honoured by this opportunity to take part in the deliberations of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and to address this most distinguished audience. I wish to express my gratitude to President Peter Schieder for his efforts to create a favourable atmosphere for the productive functioning of the Parliamentary Assembly and successful operation of the Russian delegation.

We regard our constructive and responsible participation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe as a priority area in foreign policy activities of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. This is our position of principle. It is based on our appreciation of the mission that the Council of Europe has taken upon itself. Above all, I mean the building of Greater Europe as the continent of goodwill, high humanitarian standards and economic prosperity. Recent events have but reaffirmed the political astuteness shown by the authors of the said concept and the need for consistent joint action for its implementation.

We proceed from an understanding that, despite its historic, geographic and ethnic uniqueness, Russia forms an integral part of the European civilisation. We see further mastery and creative development by country of the norms and principles of the European democratic community as our national objective of strategic importance. In my opinion, the report on Russia's honouring its commitments as a member of the Council of Europe has testified in full measure to the sincerity of our aspirations.

Over a short historic period, Russia has become a country with market economy and democratically elected institutions of power. A new political system is taking shape. Federative relations are being continually perfected. Local self-government is gaining momentum, becoming - in our country, too - a major tool for the formation of a civil society. Judicial and legal reforms of enormous proportions are well under way.

Russia has acceded to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and is now completing the necessary legislative reforms. are developing reliable institutions and effective mechanisms for protection of human rights. Conditions have been set for the enjoyment of political and civil rights and liberties. Russian leadership has unambiguously said 'no' to capital punishment. Russia is an integral part of Europe. Europe should and will be a continent free from death penalty!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Whatever anybody might say about the situation in Russia, the achievements that I have cited are incontestable, and just as incontestable is the fact that any fundamental transformation of social order requires an equally profound evolution in social perceptions. But this does take time. Currently, we are working hard in order to make the fundamental principles and values of democracy, rule of law and human rights an integral part of our compatriots' way of life. I am convinced that we shall prove equal to this humanistic task. We see the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly as our natural allies in reaching these goals.

The new world order, in our opinion, should be based on mechanisms for collective resolution of key issues, the primacy of law and sweeping democratisation of international relations. All this must find reflection in an enhanced role of parliamentary diplomacy.

In this connection I cannot help touching upon a number of major issues requiring priority attention of Europe's parliamentarians.

* First of all, it is the challenge to democratic values presented by international terrorism.

As you know, Russia holds a leading position in the coalition of countries combating this evil. I believe that the Interparliamentary Conference on the combat against terrorism held in March 2002 in Saint Petersburg has made a tangible contribution to the establishment of efficient co-operation among member nations of the antiterrorist coalition. We are united in that our efforts shall focus on the formation of a single legal field as a major prerequisite for successful fight against terrorism, and provide for co-ordinated plans in order to identify and suppress the financial flows nurturing the terrorists.

I am convinced that. together with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, we shall be able to continue building up our joint efforts and achieve a complete understanding in confronting international terrorism with due regard for the indispensable need to respect human rights. There is no place for any double standards or double-dealing. What's involved here is the primordial human right - the right to life.

Russian parliamentarians closely follow all discussions on the Chechen issue both in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and in other international institutions. But to us one thing is obvious - criteria for the assessment of the situation in the Chechen Republic must derive from the larger context of combat against the international terrorism, and correlate with the noble principles upon which we are building Greater Europe.

* Second. Unfortunately, in a number of cases discriminatory trends in relation to national minorities have not been overcome to this day, and hundreds of thousands of people in Latvia and Estonia that comprise the Russian-speaking minority continue to suffer from the institute of 'noncitizenship'. No wonder that this state of affairs triggers an adverse reaction in Russia. In our opinion, to achieve progress in resolving these problems, the international community and, first of all, the Council of Europe will have to show understanding and good will, as well as political will and perseverance.

* Third. I would like to refer particularly to the evolution of the principle of universality in European politics. Parliamentarians in the Russian Federation are in agreement with the idea of universality of principles contained in the Charter of the Council of Europe and other documents enshrining the foundations for the shaping of the Europe's future. In our understanding, consistent and all-encompassing implementation of this idea is only possible in case the area of its active influence covers the entire European space, including all of Europe's nations. Otherwise, for instance without Byelorussia or Yugoslavia, our organisation would lose its universality and set unreasonably low standards for its activities. On the other hand, whether we like it or not, these States remain natural participants in All-European processes.

It is quite obvious that ascribing Byelorussia to some 'problem zone' of Europe is a manifest blunder. Present-day problems of this State allied with Russia, which are of concern to the European public opinion, are rather of a transitional nature and common to the overwhelming majority of States emerging in the post-Soviet space. Such is the logic of historic development; it has to be reckoned with and requires that constructive solutions be found. Proceeding from this position, Russia firmly supports Byelorussia's admission to the Council of Europe. This decision would adequately serve both the interests of the democratic process in that country and the interests of the Council of Europe.

* Fourth. The process of the European Union's expansion is yet another issue remaining in the focus of European politics and infringing upon the interests of the Russian Federation.

For example, let's look at the set of problems related to life support in our Kaliningrad region. There, we may soon be faced with a situation where passenger transit from one part of Russia into another will require obtaining foreign visas. Admittedly, this is nonsensical. In our view, this involves a significant humanitarian component, for it would be a breach of the Russian nationals' legal right to freedom of travel, possibly leading to the erection of barriers for meetings among relatives, friends and partners. This is hardly consonant with the idea of creating a Greater Europe without any dividing lines.

* Finally, another essential component of Europe's well-being is its economic co-operation.

In our opinion, economic co-operation among European states may receive a considerable forward impulse in course of the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum to take place in June 2002 with the participation of political and economic elites of the CIS member states. Hopefully, representatives of other European nations will show an equally active interest in the deliberations of this Forum.

Dear colleagues, we'll be happy to welcome you all in Saint Petersburg the seat of Russia's glory and an outstanding cultural and historic site in Europe!

Thank you for your kind attention.