Council of Europe Ministers for Foreign Affairs discuss the conflict between Georgia and the Russian Federation

On 24 September 2008, Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Council of Europe member states and the Secretary General met in New York, in the margin of the UN General Assembly, at the invitation of the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Mr Carl Bildt. This informal Ministerial meeting was called to discuss the conflict between the Russian Federation and Georgia and its consequences for the Council of Europe. A report by the Chairman served as a basis for the meeting.

At the end of the meeting, Minister Bildt concluded that the situation calls for a distinctive response by the Committee of Ministers to redress the situation in accordance with Council of Europe norms and standards.

The Committee of Ministers will be seized of proposals for follow-up action by the Chair in close cooperation with the Secretary General.