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PACE new president addresses first plenary session of organization

21 January 2008 14:25 (UTC +04:00)

APAâ€™s Europe bureau reports that newly-elected President expressed his gratitude to those who helped him in the election, parliamentarians who voted for him. LluÃs Maria de Puig highly appreciated measures taken by former chairman RenÃ© van der Linden in the protection of human rights and expressed his gratitude to him.
â€œYou have just elected a President who believes in Europe, and who believes in the Council of Europe. I am a convinced European and I regard the future of our institutions with optimism. I want to make a citizensâ€™ Europe the watchword of my term in office. I believe that the Assemblyâ€™s task is to help shape a Europe which is being built for Europeans and by them. I know that institution well, and am convinced that the EU should make better use of the Council of Europeâ€™s experience, know-how and instruments,â€ he declared in his first speech as President of the Assembly.
PACE President stressed necessity of continuation on interreligious and intercultural dialogue for struggling against racialism and religious extremism.
He approving development of relations with European Union highly appreciated cooperation document signed between European Parliament and PACE on November 28, 2007. /APA/