Turkey sets five priorities for Council of Europe

As Turkey takes the reins of one of Europe’s top institutions, the Council of Europe, for a six-month term, representatives outline five main focus areas for their work: reform, reducing workloads, fighting discrimination, empowering institutions and facilitating the EU’s decision to join the European Convention on Human Rights



'Turkey’s chairmanship will make every effort to put the Council of Europe back on the international scene as an innovative, more flexible and feasible organization so that it can adapt itself to the changing political landscape,' Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu says. AA photo

On taking the chairmanship of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe for six months, Turkey said it has set five priorities to make the 61-year-old European body more visible and more active.

"Turkey’s chairmanship will make every effort to put the Council of Europe back on the international scene as an innovative, more flexible and feasible organization so that it can adapt itself to the changing political landscape," Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said during Wednesday’s handover ceremony.

At the ceremony the outgoing Macedonian chair transferred the six-month tenure to Davutoğlu at the Palais de Conceil de l’Europe. Turkey last chaired the council in 1992. The passing of the torch to Turkey occurs as another Turk, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, serves as head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, placing two prominent Turkish politicians at the top of one of the oldest international organizations working for European integration.

“The expectations from Turkey are quite high. Turkey is seen as an important actor and that’s why its chairmanship of the council is noteworthy,” Daryal Batibay, Turkey’s permanent representative to the Council of Europe, told a group of visiting Turkish journalists Wednesday. “We are ready to do our best.”

According to diplomats, Turkey’s six-month tenure will be important because it could guide ongoing efforts to diminish anti-discriminatory policies across the continent.

Among Turkey’s priorities are: continuing reforms at the council; actively contributing to reforming the European Court of Human Rights to reduce its burden; assisting in a report to the Committee of Ministers next May in Istanbul that will recommend ways to fight growing discrimination, racism and Islamophobia; empowering independent inspection institutions and facilitating an adequate environment for the completion of ongoing negotiations between the EU and the council for the former’s decision to join the European Convention on Human Rights, one of the most fundamental documents of the Strasbourg-based council.

"We are aware this is an ambitious program for the chairmanship,” Davutoğlu said. “At a time when the Council of Europe is at a crossroads, we did not have another option."

“It’s the first time the EU will be answerable to another institution. Our initial plan is to finish talks before our chairmanship expires," Batibay said. After the EU signs the convention it will be possible for the citizens of 47 countries to file complaints against Brussels on several issues including the Schengen visa regime. “There are so many sovereignty issues that the EU members have transferred to Brussels. One of the most important is the visa regime. In the future, in the case of unfair treatment the citizens of council countries will be able to go to the court,” Batibay said.

Visibility important

For Daniel Holtgen, the council’s director of communications, Turkey’s chairmanship is very important: “I think this chairmanship provides an opportunity for Turkey to strengthen its European profile in European arenas. On the one hand it will help Turkey further align with the EU, while on the other it will help us learn more about contemporary discussions in Turkey.”

Holtgen also said Turkey’s chairmanship would also boost the council’s visibility on the international platform thanks to its experienced and outspoken politicians.

Çavuşoğlu-Davutoğlu duo

“The lack of harmony between the PACE and the Committee of Ministers is no secret in Strasbourg,” an anonymous senior Council of Europe official told a group of Turkish journalists Tuesday. He said two Turks administering the institutions could help push the bodies toward better cooperation. “But Turkey’s influence will be limited because the problem is much more structural.”

“We are going to work together with Foreign Minister Davutoğlu,” Çavuşoğlu told a group of visiting journalists Wednesday. “But I’m more content with how both the Committee of Ministers’ and PACE's priorities overlap.”

Çavuşoğlu and Davutoğlu will together attend the Steering Committee meetings Thursday in Antalya, where the Turkish foreign minister will inform PACE members on Turkey's priorities.

Landmark events

During Turkey’s chairmanship the most important event will take place in Istanbul on May 11, when the ministers of the council’s 47 member countries will meet. Another important meeting will take place in İzmir in April when the European court’s reform process will be discussed in detail. Another important meeting will take place in late November, with the participation of justice ministers from member countries.