20/10/2007 President
"President Lukashenka's anti-semitic remarks may verge on the absurd, but they are no less unacceptable for it", said the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), René van der Linden, today.
"The Council of Europe, as a value community, was created as the first step in a process of European integration intended to prevent the re-emergence of intolerance and extremism in Europe. The fight against anti-semitism has been a priority of the Council of Europe since 1949 and will continue to be so for as long as the threat remains. Rejection of anti-semitism is a universal principle”, said M. van der Linden."President Lukashenka should reflect on this and apologise for his disgraceful words, if he is serious in his desire to move closer to the rest of Europe", concluded the President.