Turkey to assume CMCE chairmanship Nov. 10

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Turkey will be active during its six-month chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe it will assume on November 10, 2010.

"Turkey's taking over the chairmanship of CoE Committee of Ministers is a very important and historical development. It displays the level reached by Turkey in its democratization process. Turkey also holds the presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. These are the highest positions held by Turkey simultaneously in the European system created after the Vienna Congress in 1815," the Anatolia News Agency quoted Davutoglu as saying.

Referring to Turkey-Greece relations, Davutoglu said, "We resumed exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece following last year's meeting between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and my visit to Greece earlier this year. The talks will be held in an atmosphere of good-will and compromise. We want the Aegean Sea to turn into a sea of friendship."