Jagland Norwegian candidate for Council of Europe Secretary General

Today, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will inform the chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers that Member of the Storting (the Norwegian Parliament) Thorbjørn Jagland is Norway’s candidate for the position of Secretary General in the Council of Europe.

“I am delighted that Member of the Storting Jagland said yes when the Government asked him to be Norway’s candidate for this important position,” said Mr Støre.

The new Secretary General will be elected by the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly next June from the candidates proposed by the member states. As a former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Thorbjørn Jagland has all the qualifications the Council of Europe requires for this post.

“I am convinced that, if he is elected, Mr Jagland will fulfil this role in an excellent manner, and that he will make an important contribution to the efforts to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law throughout Europe,” continued Mr Støre. He underlined that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will give Mr Jagland all possible support in the nomination and election process.

Today, the Council of Europe has 47 members. The Secretary General is elected for five years, and at present this position is held by Terry Davis from the UK. It is expected that the member states will propose a limited number of candidates to the Parliamentary Assembly next April, and that the election will take place during the session from 22 to 26 June. The new Secretary General will take up his or her post on 1 September 2009.