Strasbourg, 13.01.2006 – Ren’ van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, today welcomed the proposal that the European Parliament create a temporary committee to investigate the allegations of secret CIA detentions in Europe.

“I am pleased to note the European Parliament’s support for Mr Marty’s activities and their wish to liaise and co-operate as closely as possible with our enquiry,” said Mr van der Linden, adding that Mr Marty shared this view. “Indeed, members of the European Parliament have already twice attended meetings of our Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights. In addition, we will be inviting them to participate in the Assembly’s debate later this month. The fact that the European Parliament will be adding its efforts to those of our Assembly underlines the political importance of the enquiry and the necessity for common action.”

“I would like to repeat that it is in everyone’s interest ‘ including that of national governments in Europe and the USA ‘ to co-operate in discovering the truth of this affair, in order to prevent such violations of the international rule of law occurring in future,” continued Mr van der Linden.

The Assembly began its enquiry on 7 November last year, in the immediate aftermath of the original allegations. Since then, its Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights has discussed the issue on three occasions. Following these meetings, requests for co-operation have been made to the national parliaments of all 46 Council of Europe member states, the US government (an Observer State of the Council of Europe), Eurocontrol (responsible for European air traffic management) and the EU Satellite Centre, along with Javier Solana, Secretary General of the Council of the EU.

The Assembly will be debating the issue on 24 January, during its plenary session in Strasbourg. This work complements the requests made by the Council of Europe’s Secretary General to the governments of member states.