Non-citizens and minority rights - International brainstorming on minority protection
28/05/2004
Strasbourg - Upon the initiative of the Venice Commission, an international brainstorming on minority protection took place at the Council of Europe. Representatives of the following main international bodies, dealing with minorities’ protection, participated in the meeting:
- Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities;
- UN Sub Commission on Human Rights - Working Group on Minorities;
- Council of Europe:
* Advisory Committee of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities;
* Committee of Experts on the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages;
* Parliamentary Assembly;
* Venice Commission.
Participants reflected on the question of whether it is appropriate to have the requirement of citizenship in the general definition of national minorities.