NGO COMMITTEE TO AWAIT RESPONSE BY TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY TO RECOMMEND SUSPENSION OF PARTY'S CONSULTATIVE STATUS

Press Release
NGO/370

NGO COMMITTEE TO AWAIT RESPONSE BY TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY TO RECOMMEND SUSPENSION OF PARTY'S CONSULTATIVE STATUS

After a lengthy debate this morning, punctuated by a suspension for informal consultations, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), in accordance with paragraph 56 of Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31, decided to invite the Transnational Radical Party to submit, by 16 September, a comprehensive response to the Committee's recommendations for the suspension of that NGO's consultative status.

The Committee was responding to a complaint raised by the Russian Federation that during the fifty-sixth session of the Commission on Human Rights, held in Geneva from 20—27 April, the representative of Chechen separatists and terrorists, A. Idigov, addressed the Commission under the name of the Transnational Radical Party. The Russian Federation also expressed grave concern about narcotic-related activities by the NGO, which currently holds general consultative status within the Council.

On 23 June, a decision had been taken by the Committee to recommend that the Council suspend the consultative status of the NGO for three years. The organization had also been asked to respond to questions raised by Committee members.

During today's debate, the representative of Algeria proposed that in the response received by the NGO, it had been clearly stated that the reply was preliminary and not complete. She thus proposed drafting a decision requesting the organization to submit a complete response, so that the process could be pursued correctly and completely.

She also stressed that the NGO should be given an opportunity to submit a complete response before any decision could be taken on its current status. Also, the Council's decision to temporarily suspend the organization's status should be withdrawn, pending the receipt of and discussion of its responses.

A large number of Committee members expressed their support for the proposal put forward by Algeria.

Following the adoption of today's decision, the observer for the Netherlands stated that the action taken did not respond to the provisions of resolution 1996/31. Nevertheless, a decision had been taken, and the Committee should look upon it as a first incremental step in achieving a higher level of compliance with the text.

Committee on NGOs - 2 - Press Release NGO/370 765th Meeting (AM) 27 July 2000

A number of speakers disagreed with the position taken by the Netherlands, affirming that full compliance with the resolution had been achieved.

The representatives of Bolivia, Chile, China, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Russian Federation and the Sudan also made statements this morning.

The Committee will meet again at a date and time to be announced.

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