22/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - 'The McCain amendment will help ensure that in our joint fight against terrorism, both Europe and the USA respect the same legal standards,' said Rene van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Friday. After trying for weeks to get CIA agents excluded from Senator McCain's draft legislation, the White House had finally agreed to the amendment which will help prevent the possibility of CIA or military personnel engaging in torture or serous ill-treatment of prisoners. Van der Linden said: 'President Bush should now make sure his government's policies conform fully with US obligations under international law, by also banning the illegal practices of extraordinary rendition and secret detention, and should ensure US cooperation with the Assembly's enquiry, led by Mr Marty,' (see EUROPE 9089).