21.6.2011

WELCOME NOTES OF MR MEVLÜT ÇAVUŞOĞLU,

PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE,

TO THE ATTENTION OF MR VIKTOR YANUKOVYCH,

PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE

STRASBOURG, Tuesday, 21 June 2011, 12 noon

Dear President,

Today, I am very glad to welcome you in the Assembly Chamber one more time. You are one of our “frequent guests”, since this is your third visit to the Assembly and your second visit since your election as President of Ukraine in February 2010.

Your current visit is especially significant, since it occurs at the very start of the Ukrainian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. This shows the strong political commitment of Ukraine to the Council of Europe and to our values.

Dear President,

In your statement last year you highlighted Ukraine’s strong commitment towards building a stable and pluralistic democratic society. You also informed us of ambitious reform plans undertaken by the authorities in the course of preparation of the Ukrainian Chairmanship.

These ambitious plans have been translated into several reform initiatives, in particular, on the constitutional reform front, reform of the judiciary and of the prosecutor’s office, electoral legislation, fight against corruption. Our co-rapporteurs on Ukraine have recently welcomed Ukraine’s political will to implement these initiatives and considerable efforts deployed by the authorities. But the work does not stop there: consolidation of democratic institutions and the strengthening of the rule of law should be further pursued, especially, in view of the parliamentary elections to be held next year.

Therefore, we are very much looking forward to hearing your thoughts about the key challenges your country is currently facing as well on other topical issues of European politics.

Mr President, you have the floor.