PACE COMMITTEE ON CULTURE, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION MEETS

Today, Azerbaijan
March 1 2007

The next meeting of PACE Committee on culture, science and education
was held.

The committee organized colloquium on religions and intercultural
dialogue after the meeting. Azerbaijan was represented by the member
of Azerbaijani delegation to PACE Rafael Huseynov in both meetings.

The meeting of the committee covered discussions over the situation of
democracy and human rights as well as on religions and intercultural
dialogue, APA reports.

The main point of the report made by Portuguese parliamentarian
Milon was on development of freedom of speech and media in his report
"Situation of human rights and democracy in Europe". Rafael Huseynov
also made report "Professional education and training of journalists
in Europe".

The reports had been adopted after discussions in the meeting of
the committee in the frame of PACE winter session. He said a draft
resolution will be made on the basis of his report at the meeting of
the PACE Standing Committee on March 16 in Paris.

Rafael Huseynov will represent the Council of Europe in the symposium
on religions and intercultural dialogue to be held on March 27-31
in Istanbul.

Mr. Huseynov stressed that Azerbaijan is an example of religious
tolerance. Saying that Islamic, Christian, and Jewish monuments exist
in Azerbaijan, and tolerance can be come across.

He also noted that Armenia is mono-ethnic country and said over
300,000 Azerbaijanis were banished from their lands. He underlined
that Armenia contradicts religions and intercultural dialogue and
humanist slogans of international organizations.

URL: