Secretary General

Mr Thorbjørn Jagland is the 13th Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General has the overall responsibility for the strategic management of the Organisation. Mr Jagland was elected in September 2009.

The former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Norway, Thorbjørn Jagland, aged 62, was also the President of the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) and the leader of the Norwegian Labour Party. He is currently the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the Nobel Peace Prize.

Focus

Official visit to Malta

17 June 2013, In his meetings with Prime Minister Muscat, Foreign Minister Vella and Home Affairs Minister Mallia, the Secretary General commended Malta for its on-going judicial reforms and recent anti-discrimination legislation. Regarding the Council of Europe's neighbourhood policy, Foreign Minister Vella supported the Secretary General's proposal to create a new partnership status for the Council of Europe's neighbourhood countries.

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News

Statement of Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland on recent developments in Turkey

Strasbourg, 16 June 2013, "I continue to follow the developments in Turkey very closely. I call on all parties to continue the dialogue. Any further escalation of violence must be prevented. I believe it is important to recall the legally binding standards set by the...

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Statement by Secretary General on legislation in Russian Duma prohibiting "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" among minors

Strasbourg, 12 June 2013, "The Upper House of the Russian Parliament should not approve the draft law prohibiting the ‘propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations' among minors," said Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland in a statement today. "This law clearly affects some of...

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