Dmitri Rupel: “Azerbaijan has a strong authority, but weak opposition”

Today.Az, Russia
04 April 2005 [10:01] – Today.Az

Current chairman of OSCE being on a visit to Baku, Slovenian Foreign
Minister Dmitrij Rupel had separate meetings with the head of
foreign policy department of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and head
of Azerbaijan community of Nagorno Karabagh Nizami Bahmanov.

After the meeting D.Rupel and E.Mammadyarov held
briefings. E.Mammadyarov stated that, in the meeting the maters
of cooperation between Azerbaijan and OSCE, regulation of Nagorno
Karabagh problem, the role of OSCE in this matter, and the development
of democracy were discussed. The sides also touched upon the relations
of Azerbaijan and Slovenia.

D.Rupel stated that, in the meetings held in Baku two matters-
Nagorno-Karabagh and democratic elections were discussed. OSCE
chairman stated that, all the measures must be done in order to have
free, democratic and transparent elections. He stressed that, strong
authority and weak opposition is present in Azerbaijan: “But still
we approach in the same manner to both sides”.

Within Nagorno Garabagh problem D.Rupel stated that, he had heard
interesting ideas and that he will let the Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Armenia V.Oskanyan know those ideas. OSCE chairman stated that, he
expressed some notes to MFA leader within the situation of democracy
in the country.

OSCE chairman didn’t refuse that some ideas within the possibility of
Nagorno Karabagh to attend the process of talks were present during
his visit to Armenia, but also stated that, he is not in the authority
of changing the format of the talks and making changes to that.

OSCE chairman stating his attitude to the regular violation of
ceasefire considers that, if the process of talks is held successfully,
then such cases will not happen. From this view point, he stated that,
he was the supporter of intensifying the meetings.

/APA/