Sergei Lavrov to participate in Council of Europe session

Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov will go to Austria’s capital Vienna on Monday to take part in the 124th ministerial session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, according to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Russian minister will participate in a political debate over modern challenges to the Council of Europe values and stability in Europe on May 6.Lavrov is expected to meet Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland, Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz and Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks.

Russia’s activity in the Council of Europe “seeks to consolidate efforts to build up a uniting European agenda, search for responses with partners to real challenges and threats for all Europeans, including terrorism, uncontrolled migration, drug trafficking, extremism, nationalism and neo-Nazism rising in several European countries, “non-citizenship”, intolerance and discrimination for ethnic, religious, cultural and other types of identity.”

Russia holds one of leading places among the Council of Europe member states in terms of activity and scale of their activity, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted, adding that “Together with Great Britain, Germany, Italy and France our country is among five main contributors in the Council of Europe budget that guarantees continuous functioning of its constituent bodies and institutions.”