20/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - Ashton, enhanced relations. Catherine Ashton, the head of the European diplomatic corps, praised the increasing “quality” and the “intensity” of the relationship between the EU and the Council of Europe (CoE), “especially following the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2007”, as she opened the EU Representation to the CoE, in Strasbourg on Wednesday 19 January. In her speech, Ashton noted that the two institutions shared the same commitment to multilateralism and the respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law. She set out the ambitious agenda for cooperation in 2011, with, first and foremost, the completion of negotiations on EU accession to the CoE Convention on Human Rights. (Gp/transl.rt)