European nations debate cultural diversity
Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey is in Turkey on Tuesday for a Council of Europe meeting on cooperation under growing cultural diversity and migration.
The annual gathering of foreign ministers will examine challenges facing all European countries and how to improve cooperation among nations in what is an “environment of increasing ethnic, cultural and religious diversity”.
In particular, it will ask how to successfully overcome intolerance and discrimination of foreigners.
Relations with European neighbours, especially in the Mediterranean region will also be discussed.
Serving as a basis for the talks will be a report commissioned by the Council of Europe and authored by a group of leading figures from different European countries on co-existence in Europe in the 21st century.
The report states that European societies should welcome the cultural diversity that has come about as a result of migration. Members of society should respect the law, and all immigrants should be granted basic political rights, the report urges.
Calmy-Rey is expected to have bilateral talks with Turkish President Abdullah Gül on the sidelines of the event.
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