PACE President to visit Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to discuss political reforms

Council of Europe

Aug 18 2005

Strasbourg, 17.08.2005 – The President of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE), Rene van der Linden, is to visit
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia from 18 to 23 August 2005. These will
be his first visits to the three countries of the southern Caucasus
since being elected to office last January.

In Armenia, which he will visit from 18 to 20 August, he will meet,
inter alia, President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, President of
Parliament Arthur Baghdasaryan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Vardan
Oskanyan, Minister of Justice David Haroutiunyan, as well as NGOs
representatives and leaders of opposition factions. He is also
scheduled to meet His Holiness Garegin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians. Among the matters which should be discussed are the
process of constitutional reform, Nagorno-Karabakh and democratic
reforms and pluralism.

While in Georgia, on 20 and 21 August, he will hold talks with Prime
Minister Zurab Noghaideli, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mikheil
Machavariani as well as representatives of parliamentary opposition
and civil society. A meeting is also scheduled with His Holiness and
Beatitude Ilia II, Patriarch of All Georgia. The constitutional
situation, the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression
and association and media pluralism should be the focal points of
discussion.

During his visit to Azerbaijan, from 21 to 23 August, he will meet
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Chairman of Parliament Murtuz
Aleskerov, Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Elmar Mammadyarov as well as representatives of the opposition, the
media and NGOs. He is also scheduled to meet Sheikh ul-Islam Haji
Allahshukur Pashazade, spiritual leader of the Muslim community of
the Caucasus. Among the matters to be raised will be the November
parliamentary elections, political prisoners and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Press conferences:
Yerevan, Armenia: Friday 19 August, 5.45 pm (National Assembly)
Tbilisi, Georgia: Sunday 21 August, 11.45 am (Ilia Chavchavadze Hall)
Baku, Azerbaijan: Tuesday 23 August, 6.00 pm (Council of Europe
Information Office)

Further information may be obtained from David Milner, PACE
Secretariat, on +33 06.64.49.98.40.

Contact:
Communication Unit of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
Tel. +33 3 88 41 31 93 Fax +33 3 90 21 41 34; e-mail: pace.com@coe.int