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On May 11, Lithuanian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis attended the 108th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. During the session, foreign ministers of the Council of Europe countries discussed the situation in the region of Balkans and the Caucasian states, the reforms of the Council of Europe issues and adopted the address to the coming United Nations special session on children rights. Discussing the situation in the Balkans, the ministers stressed the importance of the strengthening of the values of the Council of Europe, and expressed their belief, that it would contribute to the solving of the continuing conflicts in the region. The ministers also underscored that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Yugoslavia would soon meet the criteria for joining the Council of Europe and will be admitted into the organisation. The ministers of the Council of Europe member states welcomed Armenia and Azerbaijan, the new members of the organisation, and expressed their belief that membership in the Council of Europe of both states will contribute to the solving of problems and conflicts in the region. The ministers also spoke in favour of further Council of Europe activity in resolving the crisis in Chechnya and ensuring the human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the region. Heads of many delegations urged the Council to support actively the progress of democracy in Ukraine. In his speech, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Valionis has expressed belief that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Yugoslavia will soon be able to become the members of the Council of Europe. The Minister has also stressed the importance of the Council of Europe membership and the implementation of the Council of Europe programs to Ukraine. Minister Valionis has expressed hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan, while implementing the principles of the Council of Europe, will develop their cooperation. Speaking about the approaching Lithuanian presidency in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Lithuanian Foreign Minister underscored the importance of the succession among the presiding countries, and told the participants of the session about the coordination of the presidency among Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Luxembourg. Minister Valionis has invited to organise the next spring session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Lithuania. During the session, Valionis also had a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Anatoly Zlenko. The ministers expressed their satisfaction with the active Lithuanian-Ukrainian bilateral relations and discussed the date of Lithuanian-Ukrainian inter-governmental trade and economic cooperation commission meeting. During the meeting Minister Zlenko informed Lithuanian Foreign Minister about the political and economic situation in Ukraine, its relations with neighbours, the course of the investigation of journalist Georgy Gongadze case, and the implementation of the Ukraine's obligations to the Council of Europe.