COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY BEGINS SESSION

STRASBOURG, Jan 22 (Hina) - The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly began a five-day session in Strasbourg on Monday. Attending were parliamentary representatives from 38 Counicl of Europe member states, four countries with a special guest status, including Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Russia and Belarus, and Israel as an observer. Leni Fischer, chairwoman of the Culture and Education Committee and head of the German delegation, was appointed president of the Parliamentary Assembly. Fischer was the first woman to be appointed to this post. She succeeded Miguel Angel Martinez of Spain who held the office since 1992. The Assembly would consider Russia's application for admission to the Council of Europe. Croatia's membership application would be discussed by the Political Committee on Tuesday when Foreign Minister Mate Granic was due to arrive for a two-day visit. The five-member Croatian delegation attending the session was headed by the chairman of the Croatian Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, Zarko Domljan. (hina) vm jn 221720 MET jan 96