CIVIL DIMENSION OF SECURITY 197 CDS 05 E Original: English NAT O   Pa rl ia me n ta ry  As s e mb l y DRAFT RESOLUTION on THE PROTECTION AND INTEGRATION OF MINORITIES AS A CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS presented by Bert MIDDEL (Netherlands) Rapporteur of the Sub-Committee on Democratic Governance The Assembly, 1. Reaffirming  that  the  Assembly  is  strongly  committed  to  peace  and  stability  in  the  South Caucasus; 2. Recalling that the Atlantic Alliance has decided at the 2004 summit of Heads of States and Government in Istanbul to put “a special focus on engaging with our Partners in the strategically important regions of the Caucasus and Central Asia”; 3. Convinced  that  the  protection  and  integration  of  national  and  religious  minorities  is  a  key contribution to peace and stability; 4. Recognising   that   the   countries   of   the   South   Caucasus   have   undergone   important demographic changes since their independence, which have sometimes led to greater vulnerability and isolation of minority populations; 5. Commending   the  encouraging  measures  taken  by  the  governments  and  parliaments  of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia towards the protection and integration of minorities; 6. Noting  however  that  further  efforts  are  needed  to  ensure  the  integration  and  protection  of minorities in the region according to international standards; 7. Reminding that adequate protection for persons belonging to national and religious minorities is an integral part of the protection of human rights; 8. Convinced therefore that the efficient protection and integration of minorities is an important indicator of a government's commitment to democracy and political stability;

197 CDS 05 F 2 9. Stressing  that,  as  major  electoral  processes  and  constitutional  and  political  reforms  are currently under way in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, measures should be taken to ensure that these  processes  are  transparent  and  democratic  and  guarantee  an  adequate  participation  of minority groups; 10.    Insisting   also  that  conflicts  in  Abkhazia  and  South  Ossetia,  Georgia  and  in  Nagorno- Karabakh, Azerbaijan are a fundamental obstacle to peace and stability in the region, as well as a direct or indirect source of tension in relations between majority and minority groups; 11.    Convinced therefore of the strong link between the resolution of conflicts in the three regions and the adequate protection and integration of minorities according to international standards; 12.    Persuaded that the promotion of regional and other multilateral initiatives can help reinforce mutual confidence and tolerance, particularly in the case of societies that have been torn apart by conflicts, as well as address common challenges in relation to the situation of minority groups; 13.    URGES governments and parliaments of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia: a. to  ratify  and  fully  implement  major  international  instruments  for  the  protection  of  minorities, including  in  particular,  the  Council  of  Europe  Framework  Convention  for  the  Protection  of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages; b. to  define,  in  accordance  with  their  international  obligations,  a  clear  and  coherent  political strategy with regard to minorities in consultation with them; c. to adopt and implement programmes to promote the political, economic and social integration of   persons   belonging   to   religious   and   national   minorities,   and   to   guarantee   adequate conditions for the preservation of minority cultures, religions and languages, as a key factor to building peaceful, open and tolerant societies; d. to  facilitate  in  particular  the  access  by  persons  belonging  to  minorities  to  political  and administrative positions in the parliament and in national and local administrations; e. to  fully  commit  to  the  peaceful  resolution  of  the  conflicts  in  Abkhazia  and  South  Ossetia, Georgia, and Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, and support ongoing regional and international efforts to this effect, in particular in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, the Group of Friends of the Secretary General, and the Joint Control Commission; f. to  intensify  programmes  for  political,  legal,  social  and  economic  reform,  as  part  of  their commitments to international institutions, including NATO; 14.    URGES governments and parliaments of member and partner countries of the North Atlantic Alliance: a. to  encourage  initiatives  aiming  at  building  confidence  within  and  between  societies  in  the South Caucasus region; b. to integrate, whenever possible, the issue of protection and integration of minorities in their bilateral and multilateral relations with the countries of the South Caucasus;

197 CDS 05 F 3 c. to  support,  to  the  extent  of  their  possibilities  and  competencies,  efforts  undertaken  by  the governments  and  parliaments  in  the  region,  together  with  international  institutions,  for  the peaceful  resolution  of  conflicts  in  Abkhazia  and  South  Ossetia,  Georgia  and  Nagorno- Karabakh, Azerbaijan; d. to  continue  the  fruitful  dialogue  engaged  within  the  Assembly  as  an  excellent  forum  for promoting confidence and mutual trust. ______________