Issues were discussed of making amendments to European conventions relating to rendering legal assistance on criminal cases, and also of introducing a monitoring system of Russian legislation.
The Justice Minister reported that his ministry had proposed an initiative at the Council of Europe to revise five conventions on criminal cases, and that this proposal was passed at the Council of Europe summit in Warsaw on 17–18 May 2005.
Yury Chaika said that in May-June 2006, when Russia will preside at the Council of Europe, a conference will be held in Moscow of scholars and justice and interior ministers with the aim of developing a protocol to prescribe a mechanism of resolving disputes in rendering legal assistance. Mr Chaika also noted that this initiative is actively supported by the Foreign Ministry.
The Justice Minister also proposed the initiative to give the Justice Ministry functions for monitoring Russian legislation.
Vladimir Putin supported Mr Chaika’s initiative and charged the Justice Ministry with preparing a project of the according decree.