Raad van Europa en OVSE overleggen om te komen tot nauwere samenwerking (en)

 

Strasbourg, 14.04.2005 - The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the Permanent Council of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will hold a joint meeting in Strasbourg on 18 April to step up cooperation between the two organisations.

The meeting, which will be chaired by Poland's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Piotr Switalski, follows a decision adopted in parallel, by the OSCE Permanent Council and the Committee of Ministers in December 2004, to set up a co-ordination group to examine co-operation between the two organisations and make proposals for concrete follow-up.

The meeting on 18 April will examine a draft declaration on enhanced co-operation between the Council of Europe and the OSCE, which is being prepared in the framework of next month's Council of Europe Summit of Heads of State and Government in Warsaw on 16 and 17 May.

The two bodies will also look at practical measures to promote cooperation between the Council of Europe and the OSCE in priority areas such as the fights against terrorism and trafficking in human beings, protection of minorities and the promotion of tolerance and mutual understanding.

Previous joint meetings between the Council of Europe and the OSCE took place in March 1997, June 1998 and October 1999.

The Council of Europe which comprises 46 countries, was established in 1949. The OSCE (originally CSCE), which today groups 55 countries, was set up in 1994.

 

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