What his most recent assessment is of the political situation in Syria; what steps the Committee of Ministers is taking to encourage the emergence of democracy in that country; what assessment he has made of the recent deaths of civilian demonstrators in that country; and if he will make a statement?
The Council of Europe is geographically focused on Europe but this does not mean that our Organisation is not paying due attention to the democratic political transition currently taking place in countries outside Europe.
The situation in Syria is closely followed.
The Ukrainian and Turkish Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers in Istanbul Declaration of 11 May 2011 invited the Deputies, on the basis of the Secretary General's proposals and through the bodies of the Council of Europe, to actively develop co-operation with third countries seeking our support for the transition to democracy.