Iacovou on Council of Europe relations

Cyprus Foreign Minister George Iacovou told the 115th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe that took place in Strasbourg that there are many prospects of further enhancing relations and cooperation between the two organisations.

Iacovou participated in the informal ministerial meeting on Wednesday night where they exchanged views with Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker on the relations between the EU and the CoE.

Juncker was given the task, in his private capacity, of preparing a report on the relations between the Council of Europe and the European Union at the Warsaw Summit last May.

During the meeting, Iacovou said that there are many prospects to further enhance relations and cooperation between the two organisations, in the field of protecting human rights and reinforcing the rule of law and democracy, which are the foundations of the two.

The Cypriot FM said what should be avoided is an overlapping of the two organisations’ work, noting at the same time the need to strengthen the effectiveness of their efforts.

Meanwhile, during a special ceremony, Iacovou submitted the instrument of ratification of the Republic of Cyprus of the Protocol no. 14 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, amending the control system of the convention.

During the official ministerial meeting, Iacovou addressed the plenary, noting the significance of the European Convention of Human Rights in the success of the Council of Europe and stressing the need to implement the

court’s decisions.

Iacovou supported that all sources should be granted to the court to help it implement its mission.

Concluding, Iacovou repeated Cyprus’ commitment to efforts to strengthen democracy with the active participation of citizens, fighting violence against women and underlined the role Cyprus can play in developing dialogue between various cultures.