On August 9, 1949, Greece became the 11th Member-State of the Council of Europe (CoE), which was founded that same year. She actively participates in the works of the Organization, both at the political forum of the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly and in the meetings of the Specialized Committees and Experts' Groups.

Following the 1992 Vienna CoE Summit Conference, Greece has displayed particular interest in the Organization's objective to strengthen the democratic security in the European Continent. In this line, she has constructively participated in all endeavors aiming at confining armed conflicts and at bringing about solutions to disputes involving the threat or the use of force, while at the same time she encourages the enhancement of peace, stability and security in Europe. Among other endeavors in that vein, Greece has taken an active part in the CoE's European Youth Campaign against racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance, and has contributed substantively to the relevant budget.

In order to foster democratic security in Europe, Greece favors the on-going cooperation which has been established in the spirit of the Vienna Summit between the CoE and the European Union, on the one hand, and the OSCE, on the other. She supports the Joint Programmes of the European Commission and the CoE, especially for Albania and the Baltic Republics, as well as the CoE's association with the European Union's programmes PHARE and TACIS and the activities under the OSCE's Pact on Stability in Europe.

A Member-State of both the European Union and the OSCE, Greece feels that all efforts of the above-mentioned Organizations should respect the particular competence and specificity of each, while the principles of complementarity and better use of resources should always remain a priority.

Belonging geographically to the Balkan peninsula, Greece wishes that a proportionate part of all the CoE's cooperation and assistance programmes for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe should be oriented to Balkan states, regarding new members or applicants. These programmes include "Demosthenes" (which covers democratic assistance to Central and Eastern European countries and subsequent member-states), "Demosthenes-bis" (which covers the countries of the former Soviet Union and candidate states with "guest" status), "Themis" (which regards legal cooperation and training of justice personnel), and "LODE" (which aims at fostering the development of local democracy).

At the same time, Greece supports the Organization's contribution to democratic reconstruction in Bosnia-Herzegovina and other war-torn areas of the Former Yugoslavia; the North-South dialogue -- through the Lisbon European Centre for Global Interdependence and Solidarity; and the Council's participation in a joint European programme for the Mediterranean Basin.

Greece has favored the CoE's enlargement with Central and Eastern European states, and firmly advocated the need for the fulfillment of the conditions set for the accession (rule of law, democratic regime, and respect of human rights), without discrimination or political expediency. She has also been among those countries that supported the establishment of the monitoring system regarding the compliance by all Member-States, old and new, with the Organization's basic values and principles, as well as the development of better support mechanisms to consolidate pluralist democracy, legal institutions, and reforms in the new members.

In this context, Greece seconded the admission to the CoE of, among other countries, Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ("FYROM"). Albania undertook a series of commitments, such as the signing and ratification of the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which is of particular relevance to the Greek minority in Albania. The CoE also decided that FYROM should be provisionally referred to as "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" for all purposes within the CoE, pending settlement of the difference that has arisen over the country's name. A constructive attitude on the issue from the part of FYROM will be instrumental in the framework of efforts deployed by the CoE -- alongside with the European Union and the OSCE -- to promote stability and security in the sensitive Balkan region.

Lastly, Greece has firmly supported, at governmental and parliamentary levels alike, the Russian Federation's accession to the CoE at the earliest possible date. In addition, she has positively reacted to the proposed observer status to the Organization for the United States, Japan, and Canada, believing that such an evolution will give even greater impetus to the CoE's increasing role in the establishment of pan-European stability and democratic security.