Prime Minister Bondevik underlined the importance of the Council of Europe in his speech on the first day of the Warsaw Summit (16 - 17 May). He described the Council of Europe as an important brick in the European institutional architecture, adding that there is a lot to gain by working more closely with the EU and the OSCE and that all three organisations must co-operate and co-ordinate their activities.
19/11/2007 :: In his speech, Mr. Bondevik sat the focus on four sets of values: Human dignity and thus human rights, solidarity and love of our neighbour, tolerance and diversity, and democracy.
Firstly, he emphasised that to succeed in our endeavour, the Council of Europe must focus on core activities and on areas where it can make a real contribution to promoting human dignity. The most urgent task is to ensure that the European Court of Human Rights continues to be an effective instrument for advancing human rights. Prime Minister Bondevik urged the member states to ratify Protocol No. 14 and to carry out the reforms necessary for the full implementation of the Convention at national level.
On tolerance and diversity, the Prime Minister stated that our society has developed a certain tolerance of exclusion. He appealed not to accept this but rather strive for an inclusive society where everyone is appreciated and feels like a valued part of the community. Equal rights must be ensured for groups that can easily become the victims of exclusion, such as elderly or disabled people or minority groups.
Further, Mr. Bondevik emphasised Europe's democratic values: - The checks and balances of public opinion are key to a well functioning democracy. It is obvious that all policy making should be the object of public scrutiny and debate. Yet in today's Europe this is not always the case. This is a great challenge. Everyone must be able to have a say in what goes on in our societies.
- It is we, the member states that can make a difference. This is our organisation, and we must live up to the commitments we have made and the goals we have set ourselves, said the Prime Minister.
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