Brussels, 27/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, meeting at delegate (ambassador: Ed) level, considered the candidacies of Belgian Luc Van den Brande, President of the Committee of the Regions (EPP-ED), Hungarian Mathias Eorsi, Member of the Parliamentary Assembly (Liberal), Pole Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, former Foreign Minister, Justice Minister and Prime Minister (Socialist), and Norwegian Thorbjorn Jagland, former Prime Minster and Foreign Minister (Labour). On the basis of criteria of integrity, competence and geographical spread of posts, and also on qualifications and experience in government office as recommended in the Juncker report, the ambassadors selected the candidacies of Messrs Cimoszewicz and Jagland. After consultation with the Parliamentary Assembly within the framework of the Joint Committee, these names will be submitted to the Committee of Ministers due to meet in Madrid on 12 May. Once approved by ministers, the two candidacies will be put to the Assembly which will then elect the new Secretary General at its next plenary session, which will take place, in principle, on Wednesday 24 June.
On Monday at the opening of the session, the Assembly decided to hold an emergency debate on Wednesday 29 April after the procedure was challenged, in particular by Van den Brande. Depending on the outcome of this debate, the Assembly could ask the Committee of Ministers to put forward a larger number of candidates. (O.J./transl.rt)