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SP Senator Kox visits Palestine

13 July 2012

SP Senator Kox visits Palestine

SP Senator Tiny Kox is visiting Palestine from Sunday to Wednesday on behalf of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), with which the Palestinian Parliament last year established a ‘partnership for democracy’.

Tiny KoxSenator Kox has for some time been the Council of Europe’s special rapporteur on Palestine. His aim in visiting Palestine is to see how far the two parties – the Council of Europe and the Palestinian National Council – have fulfilled their obligations under the agreement. The Palestinians have committed themselves, amongst other things, to the organisation of democratic elections. As a consequence of the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, where power is wielded by Hamas, this has not as yet been possible. Last week it was announced that in October there would at least be local elections. The Palestinian authorities have also promised to make progress in relation to such matters as the strengthening of the rule of law, combating corruption, establishing freedom of the press, and human rights in general. For its part, the Council of Europe has stated that Palestinian MPs would be able to take advantage of all of the possibilities offered by PACE and its members. Palestine would also be offered the chance to sign up to Council of Europe conventions.

During his visit Kox will be meeting the Palestinian Prime Minister and a number of members of his government, representatives of all political parties, and the head of Palestine’s team for negotiations with Israel. Meetings are also planned with the Central Electoral Council and the head of the national organisation for combating corruption.

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