Visit of the Council of Europe

On the 18th March, a meeting between a Council of Europe delegation, from the consultative committee on the implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and leaders of a number of ethnic organizations was held at the Center for Interethnic Cooperation in Moscow. The aim of this meeting was to research the situation of national minorities in the capital and the interaction of ethnic organizations with the government. According to Council of Europe protocol at least 20 leaders of ethnic organizations should have taken part, accordingly we invited twice as many. Consequently, approximately 20 representatives of various ethnic organizations attended the meeting. Similar meetings with leaders of ethnic organizations were organized in Ekaterinburg and Krasnodar also by the Center for Interethnic Cooperation. In both these cities the delegation from the Council of Europe met with local authorities and with representatives of human rights organizations.

On the basis of these meetings, the Council of Europe will publish recommendations for Russia.