Brussels, 16/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - “A special status for territories with specific characteristics leads to greater integration,” said Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe President Keith Whitmore. He was speaking at the international conference on European regions with special status in Madeira (Portugal) on Monday 15 November. “Most regions with special status in Europe, many of which have special territorial autonomy within their state and either legislative or executive powers, have common characteristics as islands or remote territories, peripheral regions or those with important minority populations,” he said, adding that “far from undermining the state's unity and territorial integrity, the existence of different forms of special status, which reflect specific requirements of a territory and its population, lead to greater integration than that produced by uniform systems and reduce the potential for conflict”. (G.B./transl.rt)