Foreign Minister Michael Frendo yesterday called for a strengthening of cooperation between the Council of Europe and the European Union.

Speaking at the Council of Europe meeting for ministers in Strasbourg, Dr Frendo said that the envisaged Memorandum of Understanding between these two European organisations would “concretely” support increased interaction. He emphasised that “structural and substantive dovetailing between the missions and activities of the Council of Europe and the EU is required in order to achieve a true relationship of substance”.

He described the recent report by Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker on the future of the Council of Europe and the European Union cooperation as “innovative and forward-looking”. In this regard, Dr Frendo singled out as of particular importance the recommendations for the EU to accede to the Council of Europe’s European Convention on Human Rights, and for the EU to actively recognise the Council of Europe as the “Europe-wide reference source for human rights”.

Dr Frendo also referred to the rise in “cultural incomprehension and intolerance” both internationally and in and around Europe, as shown by recent events. He urged for increased dialogue with the participation of civil society, as a contribution to addressing this problem, and supported initiatives towards making 2008 “truly a European Year of Intercultural Dialogue”.

The priorities of the Council of Europe include good governance and democratic legitimacy. While expressing support in this area, Dr Frendo spoke of Malta’s increased efforts to develop a pool of expertise in election monitoring which can be put at the service of the international community.

Speaking about the importance of human rights, Minister Frendo described the European Court of Human Rights as the best “outreach tool” that the Council of Europe has to speak to and affect the lives of each citizen. He reiterated Malta’s commitment to the reform of the Court in order to overcome the backlog problems that it currently faces. In October 2004, Malta was the first country to ratify Protocol No. 14, which will help make the Court more effective. Minister Frendo called for all member countries to ratify this protocol in order to bring it into force.