DEVELOPMENTS IN RUSSIA

Early day motion 923, tabled 14 March 2005 by Lord Davies of Stamford (Conservative). Signed by 27 members.

That this House notes that it is five years since Vladimir Putin was elected President of Russia; records its appreciation of his willingness to work constructively with the United Kingdom and its allies during that time; pays tribute to the stability and economic progress which has been achieved; but notes with alarm the increasing fragility of democratic life in Russia; expresses concern about the centralisation of political power, the worrying shift away from the rule of law, increases in human rights violations, growing restrictions on media freedom and official hostility to the development of an independent civil society; further notes the importance of a stable democracy in Russia to Europe and to the international community as a whole; and strongly urges the United Kingdom Government to use its influence, including its Presidency of the G8, to do all it can to support and encourage renewed progress towards democratic reform in Russia.

Signatures by party: Labour 11, Liberal Democrat 7, DUP 3, Conservative 2, Labour/Co-operative 2, Scottish National Party 1, UUP 1.