Italy on Thursday reaffirmed its backing for Europe's main human rights body, The Council of Europe, during a videocall between deputy foreign minister Marina Sereni and her Greek counterpart Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Greece's recent assumption of the Council of Europe presidency as the continent faces a tough struggle to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was the main focus of the talks between Sereni and Varvitsiotis, according to the statement.
The two deputy ministers agreed that the Coronavirus pandemic poses new challenges also around the issues at the heart of the Council of Europe's mission: the strengthening and protection of democracy, and upholding respect for human rights and the rule of law, said the statement.
"Italy is traditionally a committed supporter of the Council of Europe. For this reason, we strongly back the Greek Presidency's pledge to focus on the consequences of the pandemic and the participation of the younger generations in European life," according to the statement.
The next ministerial meeting of the Council taking place in Athens on 4 November, has been timed to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the signing of the European Convention on Human Rights in Rome, the statement said.
Italy will assumed the rotating Council of Europe presidency in November 2021, the statement noted.
