Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and President Emmanuel Macron met today at the Elysée Palace to discuss current developments in Europe and issues of common interest.
The President and the Secretary General underline the excellent cooperation between the host nation France and the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe including the European Court of Human Rights.
The threat of terrorism remains high and international cooperation to combat terror needs to be strengthened. Moreover, terrorism can only be fought effectively on the basis of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. This includes the legal instruments of the Council of Europe such as its Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism.
The Secretary General acknowledges the President’s declared intention that France’s new anti-terror legislation should be passed and implemented in conformity with the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the Strasbourg Court. He welcomes in particular the President’s decision to end the state of emergency.
Cooperation between Turkey and its European partners is of mutual interest. Turkey, a member of the Council of Europe since 1949, is - and should remain - part of the European family. The Council of Europe is closely following the situation in Turkey after the failed coup in 2016. A constructive dialogue between the Council of Europe and Turkey needs to be maintained, in particular with respect to the rights of the many individuals affected by the emergency decrees.
Current relations with Russia should start from the premise that the Russian Federation is, and should remain, a full member of the Council of Europe with all of the associated rights and obligations. The right of individuals to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights is as important for Russians as it is for citizens of all other Council of Europe member states.
Secretary General Jagland and President Macron agree to continue their discussions on these and other issues and to meet again on the occasion of the President’s visit to the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights at the Autumn.
