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CoE Ministers’ Deputies 1000th meeting to be held in Belgrade
Belgrade,
22 June 2007
Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic opened today the jubilee 1000th meeting of ambassadors of all 47 Council of Europe (CoE) member countries, taking place in Belgrade today.
Author:
Fonet
Jeremic said this is the most consequential diplomatic gathering Serbia will organise during its six-month presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers and added that the entire progress and prosperity in the region, which have lately been accomplished, could be lost if the only remaining issue – Kosovo-Metohija’s status – is not solved in a just and compromise manner.
He stressed that imposed independence of Kosovo-Metohija is not only contrary to Serbia’s will but also to the UN Security Council and it would present a perilous precedent. He also warned that in that case, the Pandora’s Box of ethnic and religious issues would be opened.
This precedent would not only endanger Southeastern Europe, but other regions as well, said the Minister and added that the Kosovo issue is a European problem, the solution to which must be a European one and reached in unison.
Jeremic said the solution must be properly sought adding that that is the only road towards a sustainable, democratic future of Kosovo-Metohija, the rest of Serbia, the Western Balkans and entire Europe. He added that the solution cannot be independence.
According to Jeremic, EU accession is not only Serbia’s goal, but its central and strategic priority.
Serbian Head of Mission in the Council of Europe Sladjana Prica is chairing the meeting and Serbian President Boris Tadic has addressed the gathering.
The main topic of the meeting will be “State of Democracy in Europe – The Role of the Council of Europe”, and scheduled to speak are CoE Parliamentary Assembly Rapporteur Andreas Grosse and CoE Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg.
During the meeting, Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Todor Curov will speak about the priorities of his country’s presidency over the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).
Participants of the meeting will adopt a joint declaration whose aim is to reconfirm the importance of the preservation and improvement of essential values of the Council of Europe – democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as well as agreements reached in this context at previous summits and Council of Europe’s ministerial meetings.
On Saturday, the last day of the visit, Serbian Parliament Speaker Oliver Dulic will welcome the ambassadors who will also take part in the campaign themed “Everyone is Different, Everyone is Equal”.
Serbia took over the presidency of the Council of Europe on May 11 and in mid-November the role will be taken over by the Slovak Republic.
He stressed that imposed independence of Kosovo-Metohija is not only contrary to Serbia’s will but also to the UN Security Council and it would present a perilous precedent. He also warned that in that case, the Pandora’s Box of ethnic and religious issues would be opened.
This precedent would not only endanger Southeastern Europe, but other regions as well, said the Minister and added that the Kosovo issue is a European problem, the solution to which must be a European one and reached in unison.
Jeremic said the solution must be properly sought adding that that is the only road towards a sustainable, democratic future of Kosovo-Metohija, the rest of Serbia, the Western Balkans and entire Europe. He added that the solution cannot be independence.
According to Jeremic, EU accession is not only Serbia’s goal, but its central and strategic priority.
Serbian Head of Mission in the Council of Europe Sladjana Prica is chairing the meeting and Serbian President Boris Tadic has addressed the gathering.
The main topic of the meeting will be “State of Democracy in Europe – The Role of the Council of Europe”, and scheduled to speak are CoE Parliamentary Assembly Rapporteur Andreas Grosse and CoE Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg.
During the meeting, Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Todor Curov will speak about the priorities of his country’s presidency over the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).
Participants of the meeting will adopt a joint declaration whose aim is to reconfirm the importance of the preservation and improvement of essential values of the Council of Europe – democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as well as agreements reached in this context at previous summits and Council of Europe’s ministerial meetings.
On Saturday, the last day of the visit, Serbian Parliament Speaker Oliver Dulic will welcome the ambassadors who will also take part in the campaign themed “Everyone is Different, Everyone is Equal”.
Serbia took over the presidency of the Council of Europe on May 11 and in mid-November the role will be taken over by the Slovak Republic.
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