DUSHANBE, May 3, 2011, Asia-Plus — Issues related to expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and the European Union (EU) in fields of democratization of society, supremacy of law, observance of human rights and pluralism were the focus of a meeting of Tajikistan’s Ambassador to the European Union, Rustamjon Soliyev, and Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Thorburn Jagland, that took place on May 2, according to the Tajik MFA information department.
In the course of the talks, Soliyev reportedly briefed Jagland on achievements Tajikistan has reached in establishing a secular and rule-of-law state, ensuring observance of freedom of speech, supremacy of law, human rights and pluralism, as well as creating favorable legal conditions for activities of independent media over the years of independence.
The secretary general of the Council of Europe, for his part, underlined the importance of democratic reforms being implemented in Tajikistan. He also highly appraised a role of Tajikistan in providing support to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Mr. Jagland expressed confidence that mutually beneficial cooperation between the European Union and Tajikistan would expand in the future as well, the source said.
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe is appointed by the Parliamentary Assembly on the recommendation of the Committee of Ministers for a period of five years. He or she is entrusted with the responsibility of meeting the aim for which the Council of Europe was set up in London on May 5, 1949, namely to achieve greater unity between its Member States for the purpose of safeguarding and realizing the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and facilitating their economic and social progress.
Although the Secretary General”s powers are not clearly defined, in practice the holder has overall responsibility for the strategic management of the Council of Europe’s work program and budget and oversees the day-to-day running of the Organization and Secretariat.
