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Lavrov, Mogherini scheduled to meet in Brussels May 18-19 - source

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will take part in the 125th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

MOSCOW, May 16. /TASS/. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is expected to have a meeting with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini during a visit to Brussels to take part in a session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, a well informed source told TASS on Saturday.

"On the margins of the session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may be a meeting of Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini," the source said.

"On May 18-19, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will take part in the 125th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Brussels, which will finalise the six-months' chairing of Belgium in that organisation," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "During the Session, the minister will have meetings with Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and with foreign ministers of some countries."

Key topic of the upcoming session will be shared responsibility for democratic security in Europe.

"Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland will present to the ministers a report on human rights, democracy and rule of law in the space of the Council of Europe," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

During the session, foreign ministers will exchange views on fighting the threat of terrorism. They will discuss a new additional protocol [on foreign terrorists] to the 2005 Convention of the Council of Europe on prevention of terrorism, which adapts to the European region the UN Security Council resolution 2178 (2014). The ministers will also adopt a declaration and an action plan regarding fighting the threat of terrorism.

"The Russian party sees its main objective of participation in confirming the important role of the Council of Europe as a most respected and representing international organisation in the European continent, which task is to favour establishment of united Big Europe without separation lines, to favour improvement of democracy values, mechanisms of human rights, rule of law and development of inter-cultural dialogues," the foreign ministry said.

"Thus, the Russian side will stress the special role of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in supporting the democratic stability in the member countries, especially on the background of the artificial crisis inside the consultation body of this organisation - the Parliamentary Assembly, where the Russian delegation under artificial excuses was deprived of its certain authorities to December 31, 2015."

Bosnia and Herzegovina will take over from Belgium the chairing in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe for the period from May through to November of the current year.