asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 295 on the situation of the Jewish community in the Soviet Union which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 6th May, 1965; and what action the Government have taken, or contemplate taking, on it.
Written Answers. - Council of Europe Recommendations.
59.
Presumably the Deputy is referring to Resolution 295 adopted by the Assembly on the 6th May, 1965, relating to the situation of the Jewish community in the Soviet Union. This Resolution has been considered by the Committee of Ministers who have noted that it is addressed to the Government of the Soviet Union and calls for no action by the Governments of Member-States of the Council of Europe.
60.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 294 on the general policy of the Council of Europe which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 6th May 1965; and what action the Government have taken, or contemplate taking, on it.
Presumably, the Deputy's question refers to Resolution 294 on the general policy of the Council of Europe. This will be considered in the wider context of the political aspects of European economic integration which is on the agenda for the next session of the Committee of Ministers. The subject of this Resolution will, as the Deputy is aware, be discussed further by the Consultative Assembly during the second part of the 17th Session which will begin on Monday, 27th September. The attitude of the Government towards this Resolution will be determined after the discussions in the Consultative Assembly and in the light of any similar texts which may be adopted by the Assembly as a result of these discussions.
61.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 408 on European political union which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26th January 1965; and what action the Government have taken, or contemplate taking, on it.
Recommendation 408 is still under consideration by the Committee of Ministers. An agreed reply to the Recommendation will be decided on at the next meeting of the Committee of Ministers at Deputy level in September. Until then, there is no action which the Government could usefully take on this Recommendation.
62.
asked the Minister for External Affairs what is the attitude of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 406 on nuclear arms control which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26 January, 1965; and what action the Government have taken, or contemplate taking, on it.
This recommendation has been considered by the Committee of Ministers who in their reply to the Assembly stated that, "without prejudice to the question as to how far this Recommendation is in conflict with the terms of the Statute, which excludes defence matters from the Council's sphere of competence, the Committee of Ministers feels that the measures envisaged in the Recommendation, however desirable the aims in view, leave out of account certain facts which Governments cannot ignore. For this reason the Committee of Ministers is unable to act on the Recommendation."
The Government agree with this view.