PACE POLITICAL COMMITTEE MEETING HELD IN BAKU

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 11 2006

Today the meeting of PACE Political Committee has begun in Baku, APA
reports. The chief of the committee, members, some other officials
of the PACE, Azerbaijani representatives in the PACE, the ministers
Ramil Usubov, Fikret Mammadov, Elmar Mammadyarov and other officials
are participating in the meeting.

The chairman of the committee Abdulgadir Atesh said that, interesting
thought exchange will be held in the meeting. The chairman reminded
that it is the first meeting held in Baku and Azerbaijan was the
member of the Council of Europe in 2001.

"The most troublesome issue concerning Azerbaijan is Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. The council has resolution 1416 for settling the problem.

The author of the resolution Russell Johnston who participates in
the meeting will have interesting thoughts about the resolution.

Generally, the stability in South Caucasus is important for us. We
had worked out a document concerning it. The members of the committee
on Karabakh participate here. They will have meetings," he said.

Saying that Azerbaijan is developing, the chairman noted that there
are some problems in the field of freedom of speech and freedom of
media. He said that the closure of ANS TV caused discontent.

"The co-rapporteurs Tony Lloyd and Andreas Herkel will talk to Samad
Seyidov on this issue," he said.

Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov noted that Azerbaijan is
developing economically. The minister said that the total volume of
output was 26% last year, but this year this number is 36% and noted
that this is great success. We also should achieve the development
of the non-oil sector. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is already in
use. Azerbaijan exports 1m barrel oil in a day. Soon Kazakhstan also
will join this project. After the total volume of the export will be
25m oil in a year," he said. Touching upon Nagorno Karabakh problem
the minister said that the negotiations are held to settle the problem.

"The negotiations should be sincere. These meetings are constructive.

The main issue is whether Armenian government wants to step forward
in this issue, or the government wants to gain dividend in the eve
of parliament and presidential elections. Out position is to liberate
occupied territories and remove displayed Azerbaijani citizens. After
it, Azerbaijan can cooperate with Armenia," he said.