Secretary General Jagland thanked his UN counterpart for accepting the invitation to visit the Council of Europe on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights. This is a clear illustration of ever closer relationship between the two bodies, which will be further reinforced through the opening of Council of Europe offices in Geneva and Vienna, where several UN agencies have their seats. Secretary General of the United Nations expressed a very keen interest and support for the work of the Council of Europe in the area of human rights. He welcomed the prospects of an early EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights. he also welcomed the very close cooperation between the two Organisations and thanked the Secretary General for his participation in the debate on the Millenium Development goals which takes place on Monday 20 September. On the first day of his meetings in New York, the Secretary General Jagland also met with the President of the republic of Slovenia Dr Danilo Türk and, together with some thirty foreign ministers, attended a working dinner on the Middle East, hosted by Spain and the International peace Institute.

•  Media advisory