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Resolution 982 (1992)
Follow-up to the 1988 European Public Campaign on North-South Interdependence and Solidarity
1. Three years have passed since the adoption of the Madrid Appeal marking the conclusion of the Parliamentary Assembly's European Public Campaign on North-South Interdependence and Solidarity. The Assembly notes with satisfaction that the campaign's central aim of enhancing awareness on the part of the European public as to North-South interdependence and the need for greater North-South solidarity has at least in part been realised.
2. The Assembly in particular welcomes the creation, in November 1989, of the Council of Europe's European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity, in Lisbon, whose aim is ‘‘to provide a framework for European co-operation for the purpose of increasing public awareness of global interdependence issues and to promote policies of solidarityin conformity with the aims and principles of the Council of Europe''.
3. The Assembly welcomes the fact that fifteen member states of the Council of Europe, as well as the European Community, have already joined the centre, and hopes that all the remaining member states will follow suit.
4. Nevertheless, the Assembly believes that the centre should focus on its central and unique mission of promoting public awareness in Europe of North-South issues and of counteracting ‘‘Euro-egoism'', and thus bring about a better climate and a stronger political will for constructive, equitable economic relations. It should in particular build on human rights and democracy, the pillars of the Council of Europe — strengthening the trend towards democracy in the developing world and working towards greater tolerance in Europe.
5. The centre should avoid duplication of efforts with other institutions and, where appropriate, co-operate with relevant bodies of the Council of Europe. It should not set up its own development projects, a fact which does not preclude it from occasionally serving as a launching platform for initiatives to be undertaken by others.
6. Apart from promoting the above ideals through the media and through public events at local, national and international level, the centre could serve as a catalyst for educational efforts as regards North-South relations. It should also facilitate contacts between non-governmental organisations active in the North-South field, for example by establishing a catalogue of organisations concerned with development education and increasing awareness of global interdependence, and by building up a documentation base on these issues.
7. The centre should also reflect on ways in which its own structure and decision-making process may be improved. This reflection should include the meritsof the so-called ‘‘quadrilogue'' composition of the centre's bodies (parliamentarians, governments, non-governmental organisations and local and regional authorities).
8. Additionally, the centre should submit, in due course and to the appropriate Parliamentary Assembly body, the outcome of such reflection, with particular reference to its view of the parliamentary role in the ‘‘quadrilogue''.