Brussels, 12/01/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 12 January, international human rights organisation Amnesty International (AI) presented its human rights recommendations to the Spanish Presidency of the EU. AI calls on Madrid to improve the coherence of the EU's approach on human rights both inside and outside the Union, avoiding contradictions between its principles and its economic and security interests. “Spain will preside over the EU in a moment of profound institutional change. The Spanish Presidency should take advantage of this situation to ensure the relevance of human rights in the forthcoming European External Action Service and within the new Commission,” said Nicolas Beger, Amnesty International's EU Office Director. AI is pressing Spain to have a series of measures applied during the six months of its Presidency. It is calling, for example, for the EU swiftly to adopt the anti-discrimination directive, systematically to condemn attacks on Roma across Europe and to make sure that EU delegations do all in their power to protect the rights of migrants and asylum seekers. AI also wants the Presidency to open investigations into the secret detentions and extraordinary renditions by the CIA. “Spain will probably be the last country to hold the Presidency of the EU as we know it and should take advantage of the next six months … to address issues such as development, security, migration control and the fight against human trafficking,” said Estaban Beltrán, Director of Amnesty International Spain, drawing the conclusion that “Spain holds both the opportunity and the responsibility to leave its positive mark regarding human rights”. (B.C./transl.rt)