Official visit to Italy,
12-14 March 2003
At the invitation of the
Italian Government I visited Rome on 12 March 2003. The programme of my visit is attached (appendix I). The core issues during my discussions were
the strengthening of relations between the European Union and the Council of
Europe during Italy’s forthcoming presidency of the European Union, cooperation
within the Euro-Mediterranean area, the Third Summit of the Council of Europe
and the situation in South Eastern Europe and the Caucuses. I further had the opportunity to discuss
matters relating to the European Court of Human Rights, Cultural and Regional
affairs.
I also delivered a lecture
at the Dragan Foundation for International Affairs and the role of the Council
of Europe in the One Europe: the relationship within the enlarged European
Union. I also used this opportunity to
state my position on the Iraqi crisis.
The text of my statement is attached at appendix II.
In addition, thanks to the excellent preparation by the Council of
Europe’s Italian press correspondent, Mr Roberto Tumbarello I gave a fifteen
minute live interview on national television (RAI Uno) during the very popular
breakfast television programme “Uno Mattina”.
Besides setting out the role and tasks of the Council of Europe, I also
recalled my position on the Iraqi crisis.
In addition, during my visit I was interviewed by several national and
regional newspapers.
On 14 March, at the
invitation of the Chairman of the Italian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly
and Vice-President, Mr Claudio Azzolini I visited Naples. I gave a lecture at the Maison de la
Méditerranée and awarded the Mediterranean Peace prize to the Palestinian
priest, Father Ellias Chacour.
I would like to seize this
occasion to pay tribute to the impressive work done by the Maison de la
Méditerranée under the dynamic leadership of its Director General Michele
Capasso, to develop dialogue between societies and cultures in the Euro
Mediterranean region. An impressive
network supported by all governments concerned has been established throughout
the Mediterranean and I look forward to close cooperation with the foundation
in the future, notably in the promotion of inter-cultural dialogue.
I would like to thank the Italian authorities for their warm welcome,
excellent organisation of the visit and their strong support for the Council of
Europe’s activities.