STRASBOURG, September 29 (RIA Novosti) - The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe elected former Norwegian premier Thorbjorn Jagland new general secretary of the Council of Europe on Tuesday.
Jagland, also parliamentary speaker and chair of Norway's Nobel Committee, will replace Britain's Terry Davis as head of the 47-nation human rights watchdog. Davis's five-year term ends later this year.
Jagland was supported by 165 of the 257 lawmakers taking part in the vote. His rival, former Polish prime minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, received 80 votes.
Speaking at the Assembly after the vote, Jagland said the organization needed reform to meet new realities.
