Several politicians and some very delicate issues are on the agenda of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, whose spring session will take place in Strasbourg from 14th to 18th April. Guests will include the Slovakian president Ivan Gaparovic (Monday 14th), the German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Tuesday 15th), the Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (Wednesday 16th), and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner (Thursday 17th). A release from the CoE explains that the delegates of the 49 member states "have been asked to hold an urgent debate on the operation of the democratic institutions in Armenia and a debate on the situation in the Middle East". The items on the agenda include the controversial report on the "possibility to abort legally and risk-free in Europe"; in addition, the floor will discuss the "relation between the Muslim communities and extremism, the suicide of children and teenagers, the teaching of European literatures". The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Thomas Hammarberg, will present the yearly report on the activity of its Committee.
