PACE president comments on plans to sign Armenia-Turkey protocols

Following the plenary meeting, PACE President Luis Maria de Puig held a traditional news  conference.

He first touched upon election of Council of Europe Secretary General. “The PACE couldn’t change the list of candidates proposed by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. Majority of the parliamentarians decided to vote for them. The European People’s Party demanded to postpone the elections”.

Luis Maria de Puig said PACE Bureau decided to include two candidates into the ballot.

“The Committee of Ministers had an opportunity to propose the list demonstrated pluralism. The parliamentarians decided to vote on the basis of this list. I think all four candidates deserved this post. I hope the Secretary General will be elected by majority of the votes”.

The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers nominated Former Polish Prime Minister Vlodzimej Tymoshevic and former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland for the post of Secretary General. PACE Bureau postponed the elections until the autumn session because of disputes between PACE and Committee of Ministers. Former Head of the Flanders Government (Belgium) Luke van den Brande and member of the Hungarian Parliament Matias Jorsh have also been nominated for the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

The Council of Europe accepted the candidacy of Jagland and Tymoshevich in May, 2009.


The PACE President noted the Turkish-Armenian relations and called their intention to sign protocols as an important step. He welcomed all steps made to establish new relations.

/APA/