AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Feb 4 2005
AZERBAIJAN KEEN IN DEVELOPMENT OF LINKS WITH OSCE
[February 04, 2005, 20:35:58]
On February 4, Chairman of Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Murtuz
Alaskarov has received Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Christian Strohal and persons
accompanying him.
Having welcomed the visitors, Murtuz Alaskarov has told: `After
signing in 1998 of the protocol on mutual understanding between
Azerbaijan and ODIHR, the existing links between Azerbaijan and OSCE
have required new phase. We pay special attention of integration into
Europe, to development of democracy, protection of human rights. The
law giving to citizens the right to address in the Constitutional
Court was adopted, founded the institute of Ombudsman and public TV.
For last 5 years, the parliament has ratified more than 40
conventions concerning human rights. Taking into account the role of
ODIHR in the given area, we pay special attention to cooperation with
you.
Unfortunately, the organizations, preparing reports connected to
human rights, do not take into account the consequences of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Armenia has occupied
20 percent of the Azerbaijan lands, rights more than 1 million people
have been roughly violated. UN Security Council and other
international organizations considered the given problem. On January
25, this year the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has
adopted a resolution in which has once again called Armenia to put an
end to aggression. The OSCE Minsk Group directly engaged in
settlement of the conflict, also should make active efforts to
achieve quick, fair resolution of problems. We believe that you and
the organization supervised by you will take into account this fact
and will increase the efforts’.
Having thanked for warm reception and detailed information, Christian
Strohal has told: `The organization headed by me is interested in
expansion of links with Azerbaijan. We are glad to help you in
development of democracy, in the field of human rights, adoption of
civil laws. Certainly, the successes achieved in your country are
also pleasant. The basic purpose of our visit to Baku consists in
exchange of views on the condition of execution of the
recommendations given by us on improvement of some structures, about
preparation for forthcoming parliamentary elections and on other
questions, to make new recommendations.
At the meeting, also were exchanged opinions on other questions
representing mutual interest.