Readout of the Secretary-General's meeting with Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe

The Secretary-General met today with Mr. Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe. They discussed the cooperation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe, particularly on issues relating to refugees and migrant workers. They also discussed the cooperation between the UN and the Council of Europe on regional issues such as Kosovo, Cyprus and Georgia.

The Secretary-General also noted the Council's work in promoting respect for the rights of the members of the Roma communities and shared his concern over their situation. The Secretary-General and Mr. Jagland talked about combating violence against women and the Secretary-General stressed the UN's commitment to taking strong measures against such violence. They also discussed ways to enhance women empowerment through the institutional set-up of UN Women.