Van der Linden in Moskou voor besprekingen over aanstaand Russisch voorzitterschap Raad van Europa (en)
Strasbourg, 23.03.2006 – The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), René van der Linden, is to visit Moscow on 27 and 28 March 2006 for discussions with the authorities on the priorities of the next chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which the Russian Federation will hold from May to October 2006.
According to the PACE President, “Russia is important to the Council of Europe and the Council of Europe is important to Russia. The country is set to chair a democratic European organisation for the first time. I am sure that Russia will seek to strengthen our organisation’s unique role in Europe.”
The topics discussed will include Russia’s place in Europe and European institutions, the relationship between the Council of Europe and the European Union, the situation in Belarus following the presidential election on 19 March and the various initiatives to resolve regional conflicts.
René van der Linden will hold talks with the Speaker of the State Duma, Boris Gryzlov, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office, Vladislav Surkov, and the Chair of the State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee and PACE member, Konstantin Kosachev. The President will also hold a meeting with the members of the Russian parliamentary delegation to the PACE.
A press conference will be held at 2.30 pm on 27 March in the offices of the Interfax News Agency, 2 Pervaya Tverskaya-Yamskaya Ul., Moscow, Tel. +7(495) 250-00-22, Fax +7 (495) 250-14-36.
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