FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BUREAU OF THE ASSEMBLY

The Bureau of the Assembly, meeting on 26 June 2000 in Strasbourg on 2000 with Lord Russell-Johnston in the Chair,

-           held  an exchange of views with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr Schwimmer, on his visit carried out jointly with the Italian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers to Russia - including the North Caucasus region and the Chechen Republic - from 22 to 24 June and invited him to make a statement on this visit during the Assembly’s debate on 29 June on the conflict in the Chechen Republic (follow-up to Recommendations 1444 and 1456 (2000) of the Parliamentary Assembly);

-           expressed itself in favour of holding a debate under urgent procedure on clandestine immigration and the fight against traffickers on Thursday afternoon, 29 June, in place of the debate originally foreseen on the arrival of asylum-seekers at European airports;

-           updated the draft order of business and, in particular, included in the business of Tuesday morning, 27 June, the discussion of the report on “ European Air Transport Policies : The need for a truly ‘One sky Europe’ (Doc. 8759)”;

-           due to Mr Browne (Ireland, LDR) being unavailable, the Bureau invited Mr Elo (Finland, SOC) to present the Progress Report of the Bureau and the Standing Committee to the Assembly;

-           approved the draft agenda of the Joint Committee meeting (29 June 2000);

-            confirmed its next meetings as follows:

.            Strasbourg, Friday 30 June 2000 at 8 am

.            Paris, Thursday 7 September 2000 at 9.30 am

          .            Strasbourg, Monday 25 September 2000 at 8.30 am

            .            Strasbourg, Friday 29 September 2000 at 8 am.

Agnès Nollinger / Mario Heinrich/ Horst Schade