 | "No dual standards in unified Europe", says president |
COE acceptance ceremony held in Strasbourg By Elmira Vazirova Azernews Staff Writer
On January 25, an official ceremony of acceptance of Azerbaijan and Armenia to the Council of Europe was held in Strasbourg. President Aliyev addressed members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and national flags of two countries hoisted outside the COE head-quarters.
In his speech, H. Aliyev spoke of the democratic reforms held in Azerbaijan over the past years, Azerbaijan's joining 15 COE conventions. The laws being adopted in Azerbaijan are prepared with an active involvement of COE experts, the Constitutional Court has been set up, death penalty abolished, censorship lifted, a three-step judiciary established, and anti-corruption program currently in preparation. In the last 5 years, 55,000 people have been pardoned.
"I can state with confidence that free and uninterrupted work of mass media and NGOs is safeguarded by law in Azerbaijan", H. Aliyev said.
The President highlighted that democratic reforms must be carried out in a carefully planned way, considering the mentality and morale values of each nation, its traditions and ethnic peculiarities.
Mr. Aliyev indicated that the should be no dual standards in the unified Europe. "Azerbaijan has become a victim of a large-scale military aggression of Armenia, which has occupied 20% of our territories, a million of Azeris have lived in unbearable conditions for 8 years, experiencing suffering and deprivation, but unfortunately the world community has remained indifferent to this tragedy", the president said.
He emphasized that it is possible to achieve a fair resolution of the conflict on the basis of liberation of the occupied Azeri lands and provision of Upper Garabagh with a highest degree of self-administration within Azerbaijan. H. Aliyev called upon the PA CE members to put collective effort to the peace settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict, as this is a clue to regional stability.
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Issue No.5(187), 2001
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