Poor Record

The Russian Chairmanship of the Council of Europe 2006

Author(s): Olaf Melzer
Editor(s): Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perovic, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Issue: 12
Pages: 2-5
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen
Publication Year: 2006

In 2006, for the first time in history, the Russian Federation chaired the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, giving the country the opportunity to set the agenda in a European organization. Russia outlined an ambitious program for its six months chairmanship (May-November 2006). Observers are ambivalent about the results because Russia embarked on a hidden strategy: While outwardly claiming to abide by all legal and political obligations and commitments on the basis of common European values such as democracy, rule of law and human rights, Russia simultaneously thwarted these very aims through its obviously undemocratic policies and deteriorating human rights record. The value gap between Russia and Europe has become ever more manifest - despite all political assertions to the contrary during EU-Russia meetings. A mere disposition to discussion no longer suffices to achieve material changes in the understanding of values - a new quality of cooperation between the Council of Europe and the EU should be initiated now.

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