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EU Presidency Statement - Cooperation between UN and Council of Europe

Mr. President,

I am pleased to take the floor on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the EU (Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungria, Letva, Lituania, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia et Slovénia), the associated countries (Cyprus, Malta and Turkey), and the EFTA countries which are members of the European Economic Area (Norway) align themselves with this declaration.

Cooperation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe has long existed. It has continued to develop over the years, in particular since the agreement concluded between the two institutions in 1951. The Council of Europe was granted observer status at the United Nations in 1989, enabling it to take an active part in the fields of activity which they have in common. This applies in the first instance to the defence and promotion of human rights, but also to the unremitting search for peace and international security.

Experience has shown that these two fields of activity are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. Security cannot be achieved without democracy and respect for human rights. In the Council of Europe, this approach has taken the form of a quest for "democratic stability".

A new stage is about to be initiated today. The draft Resolution submitted to the General Assembly constitutes a first in relations between the two organisations. It should in time make it possible to strengthen the two major goals of their cooperation - the defence of democracy, based on the rule of law, and respect for human rights - and should also reinforce the Council of Europe's contribution to regional security.

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2. The defence of democracy based on the rule of law and respect for human rights is the prime aspect of this cooperation.
   
   As a result in particular of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the Council of Europe has performed exemplary work in the field of human rights. It should be pointed out in particular that, by establishing the European Court of Human Rights, this Convention put a mechanism in place which is unique in Europe for the judicial control of respect for fundamental rights by the party to the Convention.
   
   On 3 and 4 November a European Ministerial Conference will be held in Rome to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Convention and the High Commissioner for Human Rights has been invited to attend.
   
   The draft Resolution before us quite rightly emphasises the numerous challenges which are dear to the United Nations and to which the Council of Europe may also endeavour to respond. By way of illustration, we could mention cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the cooperation which also exists with the United Nations International Law Commission; also the Council of Europe's contribution to the preparations for the recent special meetings in two areas of major importance for human rights and social progress - I am referring to "Beijing plus five" and "Copenhagen plus five".
   
   The European Union cannot but encourage the Council of Europe to maintain the active role it has played to date and invite it to continue working towards the fulfilment of the commitments made at those two summits and the special follow- up meetings.
   
   The European Union also welcomes the contribution of the Council of Europe to the World Conference to be held in 2001 on "Racism, Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia". In this respect it welcomes the excellent conduct of the Regional Conference for Europe, which took place last week in Strasbourg in preparation for the World Conference in 2001, and the results it achieved.
   
   Through these activities, the Council of Europe has confirmed its determination to play a key role in the application of the principles of the United Nations Charter in Europe.
   
   
3. The Council of Europe's contribution to regional security is the second factor on which the United Nations can base possible future action.
   
   The Council of Europe's participation in regional security should be measured above all on the facts. We can thus welcome its active contribution to implementation of Security Council Resolution 1244 through its cooperation with the UNMIK and the establishment of a Council of Europe observation mission for the elections in Kosovo on 28 October. Also to its credit is the successful completion of the tasks assigned to it by the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina with regard to the protection of human rights and the reform of the judicial system. A third contribution to regional security also deserves praise: the contribution which the Council of Europe has provided in support of the Stability Pact for South- East Europe.
   
   These activities also come within the scope of preventive diplomacy, which the United Nations is endeavouring to promote. Cooperation in this sphere could in time facilitate and accelerate the difficult but vital move from an approach which is still all too often reactive to action based rather on prevention. The European Union is also in favour of expanding relations between the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights.
   
   In conclusion, I should like, Mr President, to make three suggestions for further enriching cooperation between the Council of Europe and the United Nations:
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   • multiply exchanges of information: the United Nations and the Council of Europe have a mutual interest in exchanging reports and documents on a more extensive and more regular basis;
     
     
   • strength on bilateral relations at the highest level: as a gesture, the holding of annual meetings between the Secretary- General of the United Nations and the Secretary- General of the Council of Europe would confirm the desire on both sides for ever closer cooperation between the two organisations;
     
     
   • make ull use of the expert knowledge available: the creation by the Council of Europe of a team of experts on matters of common interest to the United Nations and the Council of Europe, whose technical skills and know- how the United Nations could draw upon, would also help to further cement working relations between the two organisations.
   
   

It will now be for the General Assembly, during its annual examination of the Resolution, to take the work of reflection and imaginative thinking further so that the Council of Europe's contribution to the promotion of human rights and regional security can usefully underpin United Nations action through the world.

Thank you.

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