BAKU: PACE President: "I Don’t Support Giving Independence To Areas

PACE PRESIDENT: "I DON’T SUPPORT GIVING INDEPENDENCE TO AREAS POPULATED BY NATIONAL MINORITIES IN EUROPE"

Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 2 2006

President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE)
Rene van der Linden held a press conference today on the start of
PACE’s autumn session.

Rene van der Linden said a report on Lebanon, illegal migration in
Europe, situation in Kosovo will be discussed at the plenary session.

Russia-Georgia problems will be discussed between the parliamentary
delegations of the two countries and PACE authorities, APA’s European
bureau correspondent reports.

During the press conference, PACE President was asked questions on
the Kosovo issue and Russia-Georgia relations. "The relations between
Russia and Georgia, which are both members of the Council of Europe,
are developing more and more into a serious conflict, and this cannot
but evoke concern. We urge both parties to show restraint, not to
politicise the situation, to display a sense of responsibility and to
find ways of settling the controversial problems by peaceful means,"
Mr.van der Linden said.

PACE President also commenting on French President Jacques Chirac’s
statement "Turkey has to recognize the false ‘Armenian genocide’ to
become the European Union member" said, "It is not new that Jacques
Chirac has made such statements. The game has already started. You
cannot change the rules of the game while it is on. Like other European
states, France signed a document to start discussions on Turkey’s EU
membership. Jacques Chirac has made a mere political statement. I do
not think this position is right," Mr. van der linden said.

PACE President also said he does not agree to Chirac’s comment on
the principle of determining fate of national minorities and stressed
that he does not support giving independence to areas in Europe where
national minorities live.

URL:

http://www.today.az/news/politics/30936.html