CE rapporteurs accomplish mission

Rapporteurs of the Monitoring Group of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Andreas Gross and Martinez Kassan have completed their mission in Azerbaijan with a full visit program after holding planned meetings, including with opposition and human rights activists.

The Monitoring Group is intended to oversee Azerbaijan’s commitments to the CE since its admission in 2000.

Despite some expectations, especially from opposition minded politicians, the visit passed smoothly and the rapporteurs were content with their tour.

On completion of the mission, Mr. Kassan has said, commenting on the nation’s fulfillment of its CE commitments, that "there are changes in Azerbaijan, though of a nominal nature in the form of laws. It is necessary that these changes be put to work, that is, made real".

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There had been doubt that the visit could ever take place in the wake of tension in CE-Azeri relations.

The bone of contention was Azerbaijan’s insistence on Gross’s replacement with an ‘impartial one’ for his outstanding anti-Azerbaijan mood.

A. Gross’s unfair and slanted views on Azerbaijan, a slippy stance on its territorial integrity, refusal to recognize the Xocali genocide, a massacre of a thousand Azeri civilians in February 1992, and his biased attitude towards Azerbaijan-related issues in the CE have drawn negative reaction from the Azeri public.

His refusal of meeting with refugees from the Armenia leveled Azeri town of Xocali and taking the genocide of Azeris as a fact have been crucial in his being labeled as 'unfair and impartial'.

Accepting Gross's visit, opposition, on the other hand, try to put aside national interest concerns and use him as a lever on the authorities. Noteworthy is the opposition's and Gross's being unanimous about Azerbaijan's unconditional fulfillment of its commitments to the CE, with each side having an aim in this 'mutual understanding'.

The opposition's endeavors have drawn various feedback, the most stunning from the other member of the MG CE Martinez Kassan was quoted by local Lider TV as saying that Azeri opposition is trying to use everything against the authorities.

He said in Europe opposition does go against government, but there are some issues where the two usually take a common position.