Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Gryshchenko has chaired the first (constituent) meeting of the Organizing Committee for the Ukrainian Chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, the Foreign Ministry Information Policy Department told UKRINFORM.

Ukraine's chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers is an important and responsible mission, Gryshchenko stressed. “It is an honorable commitment of our state that proceeds from its activity in the governing body of the Council of Europe. I would like to emphasize that for all the Council of Europe member states this is an unconventional event, since the honor of chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers falls approximately once in 25 years,” the Ukrainian top diplomat emphasized.

Ukraine will assume Chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers in May-November 2011 for the first time.

The Foreign Ministry is currently working out top priority organizational, legal, financial and other tasks needed to ensure an appropriate level of the Ukrainian chairmanship.