Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Kostyantyn Gryshchenko chaired the first (constituent) session of the Interagency Working Group on monitoring the implementation of the Action Plan for fulfilling the obligations of Ukraine as a member of the Council of Europe by central executive authorities.
“The implementation of Ukraine’s commitments under the Council of Europe is very important in the light of soon presidency of Ukraine in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (May – November 2011) and realization of its priorities: the protection of children’s rights, human rights and the rule of law in the context of strengthening democracy and stability in Europe, as well as the development of local democracy”, the Minister for Foreign Affairs said at the beginning of the meeting.
The Interagency Working Group was established in compliance with the Decree of the President of Ukraine (1-1/2437 of October 13, 2010) with a view of ensuring the constructive and equal participation of Ukraine in the activities of the Council of Europe in all dimensions. The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine drafted the Action Plan for fulfilling the obligations of Ukraine as a member of the Council of Europe, approved by the Decree of the President of Ukraine #24/2011 of January 12, 2011.
The first constituent session was attended by Minister of Justice Oleksandr Lavrynovych – co-chairman of the Interagency Working Group, representatives of the Ministry of Finances, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Economy, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Main Department of Civil Service of Ukraine, the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine and the State Committee for National Minorities and Religion of Ukraine.
The participants in the meeting considered the state of fulfillment of Ukraine’s obligations taken upon joining the Council of Europe in 1995. They also discussed the proposals concerning Ukraine’s implementation of its commitments under the Council of Europe in the terms set by the President of Ukraine.