ForMin Aurescu: Solving prolonged conflicts - a priority for Romania

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu on Friday participated in the 131st meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), organised as a videoconference, on which occasion he stressed that solving prolonged conflicts is a priority for Romania. According to a MAE (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) press release, the discussions between the Foreign Ministers focus on the topical files at the level of the Council of Europe, in seeking solutions to the main challenges of the international context that fall under the competence of the Strasbourg-based body. Minister Bogdan Aurescu reiterated in his speech the active commitment of Romania in streamlining multilateralism and strengthening strategic resilience based on democratic values, as well as on the international law. Moreover, he underscored the need of building a common European legal space for a sustainable future, based on the rule of law principles. Aurescu also voiced his support for the efforts meant to discourage any type of propaganda for extremist ideologies and hate speech. In this context, he informed the Council of Europe and the member states about the recent adoption by the Government in Bucharest and the first national strategy for preventing and combating anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalization and hate speeches, which provided a "complex" inter-institutional mechanism, which will lead to a better approach of radicalization and hate-generating manifestations. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also addressed the challenges generated by the development of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, which will have to take place in observance of the fundamental rights and liberties and ethical standards. He hailed the entry into force of the 15th Protocol to the European Convention of Human Rights and voiced hope that EU will adhere to it as soon as possible. "In respect to the protracted conflicts, Minister Bogdan Aurescu emphasized that solving them is a priority for Romania. Thus, he underscored the need for resuming the political dialogue in view of identifying such peaceful solutions based on the principles of the international law and observance of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the respective states," showed the MAE. The ministers also highlighted the need for identifying such means of action to streamline the activity of the organisation, by coordinating and strengthening cooperation between the member states and partners in implementing programmes meant to promote the standards of the Council of Europe. The agenda of discussions also included: human rights in the digital era; the annual report of the secretary general of the CoE on human rights, rule of law and democracy in Europe; conflicts and crisis in Europe; guaranteeing long-term efficacy of the system of the European convention for Human Rights; cooperation between the Council of Europe and the EU. The meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe marked the transfer of this body's presidency from Germany to Hungary, which will take over the lead of this forum for the period May-November 2021. AGERPRES (RO - author: Florentina Peia, editor: Claudia Stanescu, EN - author: Cristina Zaharia, editor: Adina Panaitescu)