Russia accepted by Council of Europe; Ukrainian delegation split on admission (02/04/96)

Russia accepted by Council of Europe; Ukrainian delegation split on admission

STRASBOURG - The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe approved Russia's membership application by a vote of 164-35, with 15 abstentions, on January 25, Respublika and OMRI Daily Digest reported. After formal endorsement by the council's Committee of Ministers, Russia will become the council's 39th member at a February ceremony.

According to Respublika, the Ukrainian delegation split on the CE admission vote, with eight deputies voting for Russia's admission, among them the newly elected vice-president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CE Borys Oliynyk (Communist Party of Ukraine), Yevhen Marmazov (CPU), Serhiy Dovhan (Agrarian), Viktor Merkushov (Unity), Anatoliy Rakhansky (Independents), Hennadiy Samofalov (Inter-regional Bloc of Deputies), Valeriy Cherep (Center) and Ivan Chyzh (Socialists). Those voting for Russia's admission explained themselves by stressing the need to integrate Russia into Europe and prevent a takeover by chauvinists like Vladimir Zhirinovsky.

Two deputies abstained: Justice Minister Serhiy Holovaty (Reforms) and Volodymyr Stretovych (Agrarians for Reforms). Mr. Holovaty told Respublika at a press conference on January 28 that he could not vote "no" insofar as that would contradict the Ukrainian government's policy of closer relations with Russia, but that his conscience did not allow him to vote "yes."

Rukh Chairman Vyacheslav Chornovil and deputy Bohdan Yaroshynsky (Statehood) voted "no," basing their opposition on Russia's inability to respect basic human rights and the continuing war in Chechnya, Respublika reported.

Russia's struggle against Chechen rebels fighting for independence from the Russian Federation and the widespread human rights violations reported there had raised serious questions in the eyes of activists such as Russian Duma Deputy Sergei Kovalev, as to whether the country should be admitted at this time, reported OMRI Daily Digest on January 26. As a condition of membership, Russia is to ratify the European Human Rights Convention and adhere to the council's agreements on human rights.

However, Agence France Presse reported that senior Russian Interior Ministry officials said it would be "premature" to end the death penalty in Russia - one of the council's requirements for admission - while Duma Security Committee Chairman Viktor llyukhin said ending the death penalty was presently out of the question as the government does not have the capacity to keep large numbers of prisoners serving life sentences.

Representatives of President Boris Yeltsin's administration were also quoted by AFP on January 26 as saying there are no plans to abolish the 1994 anti-organized crime decree, which permits the detention of suspects for up to 30 days before charges are brought.

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