"ECHO": FIRE REACHED STRASBOURG

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
June 29 2006

Our MPs told Members of PACE about deliberate cases of burning of
the occupied territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia Yesterday the
plenary summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe continued in Strasbourg. In first day of session the report
on Azerbaijan prepared by the rapporteurs of the PACE Monitoring
Committee, Andreas Gross and Anders Herkel was presented to the
members of PACE. After discussion, the majority MPs adopted regular
Resolution on Azerbaijan, considering a number of recommendations
aimed at improvement of democratic situation in our country. As
in yesterday’s interview member of Azerbaijani delegation to PACE,
Gultekin Hajiyeva told, a great part of recommendations submitted
to the PACE January session (Resolution 1480) remained into force
and included to June Resolution 1505. G. Hajiyeva notes that the
Resolution recommends to review the Election Code, the changes of the
composition of the election commissions, provision of the citizens’
rights to the freedom of assembly, etc. Furthermore, the Resolution
calls Azerbaijan’s authorities to find and bring to account the
murders of the editor-in-chief of Monitor independent magazine,
Elmar Huseynov, who was killed in spring 2005.

"Council of Europe plans to cooperate with Azerbaijan in all
these points," stressed G. Hajiyeva. During discussion the head of
Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, Samed Seyidov and member of delegation
Aydin Mirzazadeh spoke at a meeting.

As G. Hajiyeva notes, yesterday the rapporteurs of the PACE Monitoring
Committee for Azerbaijan proposed not to review the mandate of
Azerbaijani delegation to PACE. "This is already favorable version,"
emphasizes member of MM.

As G. Hajiyeva informs, already next year CE will address the matter
concerning commitments of our country before the CE and "we have to
do much to this moment".

Yesterday pending discussion of the Resolution on Azerbaijan G.
Hajiyeva also told the PACE Members the burning of the occupied
territories of our country. The subject of occupied lands and ongoing
fires in these territories to date is the main focus of meetings and
negotiations conducted by Azerbaijani MPs in Strasbourg.

According to G. Hajiyeva, Monday morning the sessions of the political
groups also focused on this point. Today the meeting of the political
group of Conservative Party Members will focus on this point. The day
before the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe, Rene van der Linden received Azerbaijani delegation.

According to G. Hajiyeva, the PACE President was informed about the
facts of deliberate burning of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan
by the Armenian aggressors. "We are expecting a concrete reaction of
the PACE authorities to this point further," notes G. Hajiyeva.

According to her, today they will meet with the authorities of the
PACE Committee for Environment & Natural Resources for discussing this
issue. Furthermore, currently the press-release devoted to burning
of our lands is being prepared. According to MP, the main purpose of
Azerbaijani delegation is to stop fires. "To date this issue remains
unsolved and fires are ongoing," regrets MP.

G. Hajiyeva hopes that finally, PACE will exert some pressure upon
the official Yerevan, which allows the Ministry for Emergency to
enter the regions of inflammation in order to extinguish a fire
in occupied lands. "Azerbaijan made an appeal to appoint a special
rapporteur of the PACE for this point who could explore the cases
of deliberate burning of our lands by Armenians at places. CE should
soundly approach to this issue and assist to prevent a fire."

MP notes that it is very important for us to bring this matter to
awareness of the European community, as Azerbaijan as well as Armenia
took commitments to solve the conflict by peaceful meanings, but the
fact of burning of occupied lands by Armenia says unwillingness of
the official Yerevan to use peaceful way.

PACE Sub-Committee for Nagorno-Garabagh conflict scheduled for this
Friday is expected to focus on the fires in occupied lands.

On Wednesday PACE Political Committee is expected to discuss the Pact
on Stability in the South Caucasus countries.

According to G. Hajiyeva, today Leo Platvoet, the rapporteur of the
PACE for missing people in the South Caucasus countries, a MP from
Netherlands will speak at the Committee for Migration, Refugees and
Population. He will tell about the results of his recent visit to
the region.

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