Today.az, Azerbaijan
Aug 19 2005

Visit of PACE president to Southern Caucasus countries started
yesterday

19 August 2005 [11:11] – Today.Az

The president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) Rene Van Der Linden will be on a visit in the Southern Caucasus
countries on August 18-23.

APA was informed about it from the CE Information Office in Baku.

This is the first visit of Rene Van Der Linden to the Southern
Caucasus region after he was elected the president of the organization
in January.

The PACE president arrived in Yerevan today will be in this country
till August 20. He will conduct meetings with the Armenian president
Robert Kocharyan, chairman of the parliament Artur Bagdarsaryan,
minister of foreign affairs Vardan Oskanyan, Minister of Justice David
Arutunyan, and representatives of NGOs and opposition. His meeting with
the Catholicos of all Armenians II Garagen was also planned. The main
questions to be discussed are the process of constitutional reforms,
regulation of the Upper Garabagh conflict, democratic reforms and
pluralism.

Rene Van Der Linden will be on the visit in Georgia on August 20-21.

He will meet with the prime-minister Zurab Nogaydeli, vice-chairman
of the parliament Mikhail Machavariani, oppositionist representatives
represented in the parliament and representatives of the public.

Besides, the meeting of the PACE head with the patriarch of Georgia
second Iliya was also planned. The constitutional situation,
independence of the courts, freedom of gathering and speech, and
press pluralism will be mainly discussed in the meetings.

Rene Var Den Linden will be in Baku on August 21-23. It is intended
that he will conduct meetings with the president Ilham Aliyev, chairman
of the parliament Murtuz Alasgarov, prime-minister Artur Rasizade,
minister of foreign affairs Elmar Mammadyarov and representatives of
NGOs, opposition and mass media. His meeting with the sheikh of the
whole Caucasus Haji Allahshukur Pashazade is also planned.

The parliamentary elections to be held in November, political
prisoners and Upper Garabagh conflict will be the priority questions
among the topics to be discussed during his visit to Azerbaijan. A
press-conference will be held at the end of the visit.

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