Introduction by Stefan Melnik

2 working groups

Group 1: Russia, Ukraine (1), Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

Group 2: Poland, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Ukraine (1), MoldovaElect a chairperson and a rapporteur right at the beginning of the sessionPower point back up for your presentation

The focus should be both practical and political

1st step: what is a national minority; who is included; why is protection such an important matter (approximately 20 minutes)?

2nd step: strategies: Aim for about 10 propositions concerning strategies to improve the protection of minorities that a) reflect the concerns and conditions of the countries represented in your group and b) are distinctly liberal in approach (rest of the time at your disposal)

Useful questions/topics to explore

Awareness of dangers of escalation – where are the potential flashpoints; what should governments and civil society do in order to keep the peace?

Importance of changing concepts of citizenship? Is minority rights’ protection more than

improved protection of the individual rights of members of minorities? If yes, what does it also include?

Does the protection of minorities involve more than just protecting languages and cultures? If yes, what else?

Useful questions/topics to explore

Who should decide what is protected and in line with what criteria?

How do we treat dissent within minorities? Are there more effective things that we can

do than just monitoring the enforcement of treaties?

New minorities (eg, new minorities as a result of migrant labour) vs. old minorities – is there really a difference between the two?

What can NGOs do? Where must the State act?

Useful questions/topics to explore

How do we deal with problems of identity in the majority and minority populations, given that problems of identity are a cause of friction?

What kind of practical grass roots projects promise to be most effective in dealing with inter-ethnic tensions?

The problem of borders and “artificial” nations: our approach?

The importance of political “sensitivity” in dealing with complex issues of ethnicity and nationality

Are these Europe’s minorities?

Member States, Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, 1995

Member States The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, 1992