Rule of law at national and international levels – Comments and information from Governments/European Union – SecGen report (excerpts)

The rule of law at the national and international levels: comments and information received from Governments

Report of the Secretary-General

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*A/62/50.

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I. Introduction

1. In its resolution 61/39, entitled “The rule of law at the national and international levels”, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to seek the views of Member States on matters pertaining to the issues addressed in the resolution and to submit a report thereon at its sixty-second session.

2. By a note verbale dated 18 December 2006, the Secretary-General invited Governments to submit, no later than 16 April 2007, their views on matters pertaining to the issues addressed in resolution 61/39.

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II. Views expressed by Member States on matters pertaining to the issues addressed in General Assembly resolution 61/39

Austria

[Original: English]

1. Austria fully aligns itself with the information to be submitted by Germany on behalf of the European Union. In addition, Austria would like to offer the following views on matters pertaining to the issues addressed in resolution 61/39.

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2.1. European Union

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10. Since the beginning of 2006, Austria has been seconding the Rule of Law Adviser to the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS), who, inter alia, elaborated a report on the background, development and legislative framework of the criminal justice system in the Palestinian territories.

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2.3. Austrian Development Cooperation

15. The rule of law is an important feature of Austrian Development Cooperation policy and activities in the area of governance. Austrian Development Cooperation focuses in particular on the following aspects: (a) improving access to civil and criminal law mechanisms; (b) human security (observance of human and minority rights); and (c) support for ombudsperson institutions.

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16. Recent projects include the following: … support to the independent Central Election Commission for conducting the Legislative Council elections in 2006 (Palestinian territories).

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