14/02/2012 | President
Media professionals have a genuine power to "convey a positive message of intercultural dialogue and promote ideological, cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity" PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon declared today in Strasbourg at the opening of a colloquy on the theme "Media which express cultural diversity: situation and prospects", organised by the University of Strasbourg's UNESCO Chair.
13/02/2012 | President
During an exchange of views yesterday with the European Affairs Committee of the French Senate, PACE President, Jean-Claude Mignon, recalled the main activities carried out by the Council of Europe, which focuses on the protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. On this occasion, Mr Mignon presented the priorities of his Presidency.
06/02/2012 | President
"While the whole of Europe is in the grip of a dreadful cold spell, which is reported to have killed over 300 people, we all have a moral duty to show solidarity to the most vulnerable of our fellow citizens", said PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon, speaking today. "Reporting the presence of any homeless persons who are outdoors exposed to the bad weather, taking an interest in the health of elderly neighbours who live alone, giving a helping hand to the charities working in the streets, these are ways of not just providing comfort, but also saving lives, in the present situation."
02/02/2012 | President
PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon yesterday unreservedly condemned the repression and massacres perpetrated by the Syrian regime, and sent out a fervent appeal to the UN Security Council to take the requisite steps to put an end to the repression. "The situation in Syria has become intolerable, and urgent action is needed..."
27/01/2012 | President
PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon has launched an urgent appeal to the competent Belarusian authorities not to execute the two young men convicted for the bombing of the Minsk metro in April 2011. “The Assembly is opposed, as a matter principle, to the use of capital punishment in any circumstances. But in the cases of Dmitry Konovalev and Vladislav Kovalev, I also have serious doubts whether these two youths ever committed the despicable act of terrorism for which they were convicted,” the President said.
23/01/2012 | President
Jean-Claude Mignon, elected today as PACE President, will lay a wreath at the Strasbourg war memorial in Place de la République at 5.30 pm on Tuesday 24 January. The ceremony will be attended by the Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, representatives of Strasbourg City Council, the Conseil Général and the Regional Council, and the Chairpersons of the United Kingdom, Russian and German delegations to the PACE.
19/01/2012 | President
In learning yesterday that Giuseppe Vedovato had died at the age of 99, Mevlüt Cavusoglu, President of the PACE, paid tribute to the former President of the Assembly: “I was deeply saddened to hear that Giuseppe Vedovato had passed away. My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. He was a fervent European and one of the greatest allies the Council of Europe has ever had in upholding its values. He was a member of our Assembly for 22 years and finally its President from 1972 to 1975, “the first Mediterranean President”, as he liked to call himself.
12/01/2012 | President
The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), on an official visit to Turkey, has expressed warm appreciation to the Turkish authorities for their generous treatment of Syrians fleeing the violence in their country. Speaking at the end of a visit to refugee camps in Turkey’s Hatay region, which borders Syria, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said: “The Turkish response to the Syrian refugee crisis has been swift, efficient and generous. The camps that have been set up are of a high standard, providing shelter and warmth in the depths of winter to a traumatised population.”
10/01/2012 | President
Addressing the Turkish Grand National Assembly today in Ankara, PACE President, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, praised the reform process undertaken by the Turkish authorities, and welcomed the importance given to a comprehensive constitutional reform.
09/01/2012 | President
PACE President Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will make an official visit to Turkey from 9 to 13 January 2012. In Ankara (9-10 January), he will meet the President and Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly and the heads of the main political parties, as well as the Foreign Affairs and Justice Ministers. He will deliver a speech to the General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly, and will visit the tomb of Atatürk.
04/01/2012 | President
Speaking as two of the five suspected murderers of London teenager Stephen Lawrence are sentenced, Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has welcomed that justice has seen the light after 18 years in one of Europe’s most notorious racist hate crimes.
30/12/2011 | President
PACE President welcomed the agreement between the leaders of key political parties of Bosnia and Herzegovina about the formation of a new government, which came after more than a year of tense and dificult negotiations. "During my recent meetings with the leaders of all political parties, I felt that an agreement was close to being concluded; Therefore, I stressed that the formation of a new government was the first priority..."