Kazakhstan to bid for Venice commission full membership

TANA. October 11. KAZINFORM /Muratbek Makulbekov/ In a meeting with Secretary-General of the Council of Europe Turbjern Yagland Kazakh FM Yerzhan Kazykhanov handed him over Kazakhstan's application for full membership in the Venice Commission.

The European Commission for Democracy through Law, better known as the Venice Commission, is the Council of Europe's advisory body on constitutional matters. Established in 1990, the commission has played a leading role in the adoption of constitutions that conform to the standards of Europe's constitutional heritage.

Established in 1990 as a partial agreement of 18 member states of the Council of Europe, the commission in February 2002 became an enlarged agreement, allowing non-European states to become full members.