Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers

Armenia hands over chairmanship to Austria

Strasbourg, 14.11.2013 - The Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe passed from Armenia to Austria today, at a meeting at the Organisation's Strasbourg headquarters, attended by representatives of its 47 member States.

Before handing over the chairmanship to his successor, the outgoing Chair Edward Nalbandian, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia, gave an overview of his country's achievements during its chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers.

The new Chair of the Committee of Ministers, Michael Spindelegger, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria, presented the priorities of the Austrian chairmanship which will run for six months as of today.

At a brief ceremony during the meeting, Minister Spindelegger solemnly handed over to the Secretary General, Thorbjørn Jagland, the instrument of Austria's ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention (CETS no. 210). Austria pledged that, during its chairmanship, it would "promote measures for an early entry into force of the Convention", which requires 10 ratifications. (more...)

- File on the Austrian Chairmanship
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Back 02.10.2013 - Serzh Sargsyan: “Armenia has achieved genuine progress”

Parliamentary Assembly
02.10.2013 - Serzh Sargsyan: “Armenia has achieved genuine progress”

"Armenia has made great efforts to build a modern state", the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan emphasised in his address to the Parliamentary Assembly on Wednesday.

The programme of the extensive array of reforms conducted by the country features the implementation of the Assembly's recommendations on the organisation of free and fair elections, the establishment of an independent judicial system securing equality before the law, and also the creation of an environment of mutual tolerance and trust.

He said that peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, with peace and respect as the sole means of ensuring a hopeful future for the people of the region, remained a priority.

The President of Armenia concluded by recalling the importance of consolidating the bridges between nations, cultures and religions, and the crucial role of the Council of Europe in that respect.

Speech
Video of the speech

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Armenia and the Council of Europe

Strasbourg 02/10/2013
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