Strasbourg, 11/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - On the 106th session of the Committee of Ministers, Italy carried on from Ireland at the Presidency of the Council of Europe. Presenting its priorities, Lamberto Dini, indicated that Italy would, in particular, look to strengthen the presence of the Council of Europe in Chechnya, develop its role for Kosovo and in the framework of the Stability Pact and strengthen co-operation with the EU and OSCE. The Presidencies programme also foresees:
- Human rights; - up-dating of the Human Rights Conference (the EU's work on the Charter of Fundamental rights are certainly not strangers to the new awareness of the ageing of the Convention and could act as lever: Ed.), - the creation of a new Chamber, in the European Court for Human Rights, responsible for giving its opinion on the questions linked to minorities.
- Enlargement; - possibilities for accession of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the next six months (the called for accession are on the Assembly's next week in Dublin), - possible enlargement of the reference area of the Council of Europe in Central Asia and the Mediterranean.
- The Ministers also heard the plea by the Russian colleague Igor Ivanov following the recommendation by the parliamentary Assembly calling for Russia's suspension due to the war in Chechnya. He repeated that they must not sanction a country that is fighting against international terrorism and said that Russia accepted several "reasonable" demands by the Assembly, but cannot accept others, judged unreasonable (cease fire and open negotiations with mashkadov). The Ministers welcomed the contribution by the Russian federation to the Council of Europe.
