The Session of the Committee of Ministers of the 46 member countries is the supreme decision making body of the Council of Europe.
27/11/2007 :: The session which will take place on the 18th and 19th of May will include issues such as consolidation of the Council of Europe’s system for the protection of human rights, a reinforcement of co-operation between the Council of Europe and the European Union and a possible memorandum of understanding between the European Union and the Council of Europe, the reinforcement of the Council’s action in support of democracy and good governance, the development of intercultural dialogue and the Organisation’s process of internal reform.
The session will also mark the end of the current Romanian presidency (November 2005- May 2006), which will be succeeded by the Russian Federation as the Chair of the Committee of Ministers (May 2006- November 2006). On this occasion the Foreign Minister of Romania, Mr. Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu will present the conclusions of the Rumanian chairmanship and Mr. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, will present the priorities for his chairmanship.
At the invitation of Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis, the ministers will hold an informal meeting with Martti Ahtisaari, the United Nations Special Envoy for the future status of Kosovo Thursday 18 May.
Provisional Programme of the 116th Session of the Committee of Ministers
Thursday 18 May 2006
5.45 pm: Concert (Eglise Saint-Guillaume, quai des Bateliers)
6.45-7 pm: Arrival of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs or other members of
government (Residence of the Secretary General, rue Joseph Massol)
7 pm: Group photo(Residence of the Secretary General, rue Joseph Massol)
7.10 pm: Informal ministerial meeting followed by a dinner hosted by the
Secretary General (Residence of the Secretary General, rue Joseph Massol)
8 pm: Dinner hosted on behalf of the Secretary General for Permanent Representatives and Directors of Political Affairs
Friday 19 May 2006
9 am: friday Treaty" event (Committee of Ministers' ante-room)
9.30 am: Formal session (Committee of Ministers' room)
1 pm: Handing over of the Chairmanship from Romania to the Russian Federation / End of the session (Committee of Ministers' room)
1.15 pm: Luncheon hosted by the Chair of the Committee of Ministers (Restaurant of the Palais de l’Europe)
3 pm: Press conference by the outgoing Chair of the Committee of Ministers and the Secretary General (Room 1)
4 pm: Press conference by the incoming Chair of the Committee of Ministers (Room 1)