 | PA CE chairman visit to baku |
Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Lord Russell Johnston arrived in Baku from Tbilisi Thursday as part of his South Caucasus trip. The visitor was welcomed by speaker Alasgarov, MPs and members of the Azeri parliamentary delegation at the CE. By Elmira Vezirova and Saba Agayeva Azernews Staff Writers
Lord Johnston brushed aside the Armenian press publications alleging that he has called the elections in Upper Garabagh as legitimate in an interview with journalists at Bina Airport. "I did not say that" , Mr. Johnston said, condemning the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan's territories. Lord Johnston underscored that the positions of both Armenian and Azeri communities living in this region of Azerbaijan should be taken into account when negotiating a peaceful settlement.
Lord Johnston's visit program included paying tribute to the Alley of Martyrs and meeting with foreign minister Guliyev, Premier Rasizadeh, speaker Alasgarov, President Aliyev, MPs, and Azeri refugees on September 14 and 15.
‘Ignorance’
"Being admitted to the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan expected the organization to assist in the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict, repatriation of a million of refugees to their homes and liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. However, the CE has been showing a kind of ignorance to these issues. This is something unclear.", President Aliyev said, as he was talking to the visiting PA CE chairman Lord Russell Johnston Friday. President Aliyev underscored that though the OSCE is attending to the solution of the Garabagh conflict, the CE should also exert efforts to resolve the dispute, as human rights in Azerbaijan have been infringed upon.
The PA CE chairman regretted the stagnancy in cooperation between Azerbaijan and Armenia. According to him, both countries should make concessions. "If the parties reach agreement, the conflict will find a solution", he said. The recent document adopted by the CE Ministerial Committee says that in spite of being accepted to the CE neither Azerbaijan nor Armenia has made a step towards cooperation.
The concessions to be made should be acceptable to both sides, while Armenia refuses to step back, the Azeri President said, drawing agreement from Lord Johnston.
Lord Johnston stressed that Azerbaijan has done a lot to execute the commitments it took to the CE, as the country is thriving gradually, but confidently.
Thanking the PA CE chairman for the positive feedback, President Aliyev pledged to fulfill other commitments taken as well. The President assesses the reproaches concerning Azerbaijan by some CE officials, who as he believes are unaware of the state of affairs, as unfair.
President Aliyev voiced his gratitude to Mr. Johnston for having paid tribute to the Alley of Martyrs and met with Azeri refugees.
For the most part of the meeting the parties exchanged views on the recent terror acts in the US, as both President Aliyev and Lord Johnston unanimously denounced the attacks as something very brutal and horrible. The Azeri head of state said that Azerbaijan has many times faced terror, including the Khojali carnage, the bloody January events in Baku in 1990, etc. The President emphasized the necessity of combating this evil. "But, one should not crack down on a nation or the faith it worships in retaliation for terror attacks", he said.
Non-intervention
In another crucial meeting in Baku, Lord Russell Johnston told Azeri foreign minister Vilayat Guliyev Friday that he did not intend to intervene in the solution to the Garabagh conflict and would help the settlement through the Venice Commission only. Lord Johnston underscored the occupation of the Upper Garabagh region of Azerbaijan during the meeting, the MFA said.
The PA CE chairman commended a rapid pace of execution of the commitments Azerbaijan has taken to the CE and democratic reforms, as well as activities for human rights protection.
The minister updated Lord Johnston on the development of democracy, the progress in human rights protection and the plight of refugees and IDPs.
Meeting with MPs
The PA CE chairman said, while meeting with Azeri MPs, that the stationing of Russian military bases in Armenia could adversely affect a negotiated solution to the Garabagh conflict. He negatively assessed the reluctance of most Azeris and Armenians to make compromises for the settlement.
Lord Johnston underscored that the CE Ministerial Council and secretary general of the CE had evaluated the elections in Upper Garabagh as an illegal step, thus admitting the occupation of this region of Azerbaijan.
The CE dignitary said that he had information on cultivation of narcotic plants in Upper Garabagh and their smuggling into eastern countries, Turkey in particular, for processing. The PA CE will consider the information and give a legal assessment, Lord Johnston said.
Lord Johnston appeared for a meeting with the Azeri parliamentary delegation to the CE Saturday, as deputy head of the delegation Samad Seyidov introduced its members to the distinguished guest. Lord Johnston voiced satisfaction with the visit to Azerbaijan and said he had held fruitful talks.
The meeting was held behind the closed doors.
Following the meeting, speaker Alasgarov received Lord Johnston, with only representatives of state-run media present.
Saturday was the last day in Lord Johnston's visit program for Azerbaijan and the PA CE chairman left the country on Saturday.
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Issue No.N-38 (220), 2001
Aliyev's Iranian visit date to be setPA CE chairman visit to bakuPakistan, China condemn elections in GarabaghNationArmenian-Azerbaijan conflictOpposition newsBusinessOil & gas news
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