NPA, Alm.del - 2010-11 (1. samling) - Bilag 19: Brev vedr. ændringer for Rusland ifm. deltagelse i visse NATO PA-aktiviteter

TO THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE NATO PA COMMITTEES AND SUB-COMMITTEES ANDTHE CHAIRMAN OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AND MIDDLE EAST SPECIAL GROUPDear Colleagues,I am writing to inform you of the decision taken by the Standing Committee at its meetingin Portugal on 2 April 2011 regarding changes concerning the participation of thedelegation of the Russian Federation in certain NATO Parliamentary Assembly activities.These changes particularly relate to Committee and Sub-Committee activities outside thecontext of sessions.As you know, in November 2008 in response to Russia’s actions against Georgia and itsfailure to abide by the conditions of the cease-fire agreement with Georgia, the StandingCommittee imposed limits on the participation of the delegation of the Russian Federationin Assembly activities. The limits meant that the Russian delegation could only participatein Assembly Sessions and meetings of the NATO-Russia Parliamentary Council (NRPC).At its meeting in Memphis in March 2010, the Standing Committee re-opened Rose-RothSeminars to the Russian delegation, but maintained the suspension of participation inCommittee and Sub-Committee visits, and meetings of the Mediterranean and Middle EastSpecial Group (GSM).The Standing Committee reviewed this situation again at its meeting in Portugal. Membersnoted that no substantial progress had been achieved in resolving the conflict over SouthOssetia and Abkhazia, and that the Russian government was still not abiding by the termsof the ceasefire agreement. At the same time, they recognized that, at the NATO Summitin Lisbon in November 2010, Heads of State and Government of the Alliance and of theRussian Federation had decided to “reset” NATO-Russia relations, essentially agreeing todiffer in some areas, while stepping up cooperation in many others where there is aconvergence of interests, including missile defence, Afghanistan, counterterrorism,counter-piracy, and others. Members of the Standing Committee also stressed theimportance of encouraging dialogue with the Russian delegation, assuming that only bydialogue contentious points can be negotiated. At the same time dialogue provides aframework that enables NATO PA and Russia to work on common challenges.

-2-Given these considerations, the Standing Committee voted in favour of a more flexibleapproach regarding Russian participation in Committee and Sub-Committee visits andmeetings of the GSM.It was therefore decided that the Chairpersons and host nation for each activity shoulddecide on a case-by-case basis whether a particular visit should be opened to theparticipation of the Russian delegation.The Standing Committee therefore agreed on the following arrangement for deciding uponRussian participation in Committee, Sub-Committee, and GSM-related activities:-the leader of a visiting delegation (normally the Sub-Committee Chairperson, or inthe case of a joint visit, the two respective Sub-Committee Chairpersons) and theHead of the host country delegation may decide to open participation for that visitto the Russian delegation, in cases where they believe that Russian participationwould contribute to the substance of the meeting;should he/she deem it necessary, the respective Sub-Committee Chairperson mayseek guidance from the Committee Chairperson. If needed, further guidance couldbe sought from the Standing Committee, or, during the intervals between StandingCommittee meetings, the Bureau of the Assembly;this arrangement will be reviewed after a year.

I believe this arrangement provides an appropriate way for the Assembly to further itsrelations with the Russian delegation.In practical terms, the relevant Committee Directors will contact you to ask for your viewson which of the planned visits of the Assembly body you chair may be opened to theparticipation of the Russian delegation. They will then contact the host nations concernedto obtain their views.If you have any queries about this process, please do not hesitate to contact me or theSecretary General, David Hobbs. We would be glad to provide any further clarification.Yours sincerely,