Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
Oct 15 2004

24TH SITTING OF PABSEC COMMITTEE FOR LEGAL AND POLITICAL AFFAIRS
UNDERWAY IN BAKU
[October 14, 2004, 18:35:32]

The 24th sitting of Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation Committee for Legal and Political Affairs began its work
in Baku. Participants of the event first visited 13 the Martyr’s
Alley and Eternal Fire memorial to revere the memory of the shehids
who died for independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The sitting began with the Committee’s Chairman, head of the Bulgarian
delegation Borislav Palchev’s address. He thanked the government and
parliament of Azerbaijan for hospitality and announced the sitting’s
agenda, which includes role of parliaments in maintaining stability
and security in the Black Sea basin and economic development of
the region. The committee aims at preparing report for the General
Assembly and considering organization issues.

Then, Speaker of the Milli Majlis Murtuz Alasgarov took the floor. He
shared B. Palchev’v opinion on the present situation in the world
and PABSEC’s reaction to the ongoing developments.

Mr. Murtuz Alasgarov stressed the South Caucasus has all the conditions
for its rapid development. He pointed out that South Caucasus takes its
own place in the peace and security system of the European continent,
as it is the bridge connecting Europe and Asia. From this point
of view, restoration of the ancient Silk Road and implementation
of big energy projects acquire a paramount significance. However,
numerous armed conflicts and terrorist acts impede the development of
the South Caucasus. Murtuz Alasgarov told of the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani
lands and terrorist acts committed by Armenians in the territory
of Azerbaijan.

After adopting the report for the General Assembly, head of the
Albanian delegation Makbule Checho was assigned as a rapporteur at the
upcoming General Assembly to be held on November in Antalya, Turkey.