The Directorate of Political Affairs and External Relations  provides the Secretary General, the Deputy Secretary General, the Committee of Ministers and the Major Administrative Entities with advice and proposals for political guidelines, priorities, including on programming of co-operation. 

For this purpose:      

• Specific files are prepared in view of the Secretary General's and the Deputy Secretary General's official meetings and visits.
• Advice on political priorities for Council of Europe co-operation programmes and Action Plans is provided.
• Monitoring and stock taking reports are produced in line with Committee of Ministers decisions (CM restricted). 
• Guidance for Council of Europe co-operation in Kosovo* and on relations with Belarus as well as on conflict related and sensitive issues is given. 
• Draft bi-annual Secretary General consolidated reports on the conflict in Georgia are prepared.
• Draft annual Secretary General reports on "Human rights situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of  Sevastopol, Ukraine" are prepared in cooperation with other relevant MAEs.

* Any references to Kosovo in this text, whether to the territory, institutions or population, shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.