Vol. 403 No. 6
37 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he favours the promulgation by either the Council of Europe, or the CSCE, of a specific charter for minorities which would give them enforceable individual and political rights involving participation to the full in the life of the area in which they live.
I am aware that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has recommended that a convention on the rights of minorities, or a protocol to an existing convention to cover this area, be adopted by Council of Europe member states. I understand that the recommendation is now to be examined in the Council of Europe framework. While I have no objection to the proposal, the position of the Government will be determined by the nature of the final proposals put forward in relation to the convention or protocol.
The problem of national minorities has been discussed in the CSCE framework. The recent meeting of Heads of State and Government of the participating states in Paris adopted a Charter for a New Europe which affirms that the distinct identity of national minorities should be protected, and conditions created which will favour its promotion. A seminar of experts on national minorities is to be convened in Geneva in July 1991. This will, inter alia, consider new measures aimed at improving the implementation of CSCE commitments in the field of minorities, and will no doubt make recommendations for consideration by Governments. To date, the CSCE has not, however, adopted international legal instruments which are binding on member states or which confer enforceable rights on individuals.
