Davutoglu pledges more active Turkish role in council of Europe

Common values, human rights and democracy will spread as the Council of Europe grows stronger, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said yesterday. Speaking at a joint press conference following his meeting with Council of Europe Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jaglan, who was in Ankara for official talks with top Turkish officials, including President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Davutolgu said that they had discussed ways of strengthening the CoE's structure, adding that Turkey would play a more active role in the council, whose Parliamentary Assembly is now being headed by a Turkish parliamentarian. The Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) last month elected Mevlut Cavusoglu as its first-ever Turkish president. He also said Jagland would lead the CoE's restructuring, adding that Turkey would strengthen this process during its term presidency thanks to its active diplomacy and role in Europe. He said they had also discussed developments in the Balkans and Caucasus regions, the Karabakh issue, and Kosovo. For his part, Jagland called Turkey a key player for both Europe and global peace. Lamenting how Turkey's key role has been underappreciated up to now, he said the CoE would soon take on a structure that involves all the countries and formations in Europe, including actors of great importance such as the European Union, Russia and Turkey.