Alternate FM Xydakis meets with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland (Foreign Ministry, 26 May 2016)

The Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Nikos Xydakis, today received the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland, noting that “it is a great honor and pleasure for us to welcome the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Jagland. Mr. Jagland, in particular, is a person who knows European and Greece very well, and the Council of Europe is an organization that has always supported the Greek people and the Hellenic Republic in difficult times.”

During the meeting, which took place today at the Foreign Ministry, they discussed the refugee and migration issue and, more broadly, the implementation of the policies for the protection of human rights in Europe. The collocutors highlighted that the refugee crisis is a European issue that cannot be dealt with individually or piecemeal by a few member states.

Mr. Jagland expressed his solidarity with the Greek people and noted the need for the European Union to show solidarity through providing the necessary support on both the political and material levels. He also noted the need for material support and specialized personnel to be sent to support the efforts of the Greek state. “We are impressed with the way Greece is handling this issue, with the limited resources it has at this time. Greece is making every possible effort to ensure that every refugee has the option to submit an application for asylum,” Mr. Jagland stated, adding that “Greece needs the support of all the European states and, of course, of the European institutions. This is the principal message I have to deliver when I return to Strasbourg and speak with the 47 member states of the CoE.”

Mr. Xydakis highlighted that there needs to be support from the European Union for the refugee relocation programme, which, as shown by the European Commission data, is so far producing minimal results.

Also highlighted during the talks was the need for coordination of everyone’s efforts in order for the EU-Turkey agreement to function with respect for the rights of the refugees.

Finally, Mr. Jagland briefed Mr. Xydakis on the issues the CoE is being called upon to handle and the need for all of its members to cooperate with the aim of the CoE’s achieving optimum results.

May 26, 2016