WELCOME NOTES OF MR MEVLÜT ÇAVUŞOĞLU,

PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY,

TO THE ATTENTION OF MR THOMAS HAMMARBERG,

COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

(Strasbourg, Wednesday 28 April 2010, 15h00, Hemicycle)

Dear Commissioner,

Thank you for honouring us once again with your presence today. It is always a pleasure to have you here and let me add that your contribution to our debates is highly valuable and much appreciated.

Commissioner Hammarberg, your engagement in the defence of the core values of the Council of Europe is exemplary. Your priorities coincide with ours, and your action strengthens the foundation of our work. We could mention as an example your missions in Russia and Georgia. Or the special attention you have paid to the freedom of the press, which was also the object of an important debate of the Assembly last January.

The “viewpoints” that you have published quarterly for several years are an important reference for all of us who are actively involved in the defense of Human Rights in Europe. The same applies to the “Comments” that you have just started to release. In spite of their casual denomination, they are the result of intensive work, carried out both here in Strasbourg and in the field, in our member states.

Dear Commissioner, Parliamentarians will be most interested to hear the account of your activities of 2009.

You have the floor.