Ates On Azerbaijani – Armenian Dispute

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Dec 23 2006

BAKU – Armenian problem is on the agenda of the Political Committee
(of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe-PACE),"
said Abdulkadir Ates, a MP from the Republican People`s Party (CHP)
and the head of the PACE Political Affairs Committee. Making a
keynote speech in the PACE Political Affairs Committee meeting in
Azerbaijani capital of Baku, Ates expressed concern that the Upper
Karabakh problem has not been solved yet.

He recalled that the PACE adopted a resolution (#1416) regarding
solution of the Upper Karabakh problem, and said, "requirements of
this resolution should be fulfilled."

Also, he stated, a sub-committee has been set up under the Political
Affairs Committee regarding this question. Ates said that members of
this committee will hold talks with Azerbaijani and Armenian MPs soon.

Pointing out that the Committee has submitted a memorandum to the PACE
regarding stability in South Caucasus, Ates underlined importance of
this document for a political compromise in the region.

On the other hand, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received Ates
and Murat Mercan, the MP of Justice & Development Party (AKP) who is
also the head of Turkish delegation in the PACE.