UNMIK/PR/1216
PRISTINA - today Mr. Walter Schwimmer, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, and Mr. Søren Jessen-Petersen, UNMIK Special Representative of the Secretary-General, signed two agreements between UNMIK and the Council of Europe.
The agreements provide for arrangements for monitoring the implementation in Kosovo of important human rights principles established by the Council of Europe.
Under the agreement on technical arrangements related to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers will monitor compliance with the Framework Convention in Kosovo and UNMIK will provide the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers with relevant information.
The agreement on technical arrangements related to the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment allows an independent committee of experts to examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in Kosovo by UNMIK.
The signature of the two agreements marks the successful conclusion of more than 18 months of negotiations on the texts and follows a decision of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers on 30 June 2004.
The agreements are a significant milestone providing practical monitoring arrangements which extend coverage of important human rights protections under Conventions of the Council of Europe to Kosovo.