DELEGATION OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HOLDS MEETING IN BAKU
Trend
12.09.2007 11:21:12
Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend K.Ramazanova / A delegation of the
European Parliament is holding meetings in Baku with representatives
from the civil society and journalists of Azerbaijan.
The visit is held within the framework of the 8th meeting of the
Committee on Interparliamentary Cooperation of the European Union –
Azerbaijan.
The European delegation led by Marie Anne Isler Beguinm fro m France,
includes Arpad Duka- Zolyomi from Slovakia), Alessandro Battilocchio,
from Italy, Marian-Jean Marinescu from Romania, Lydie Polfer from
Luxemburg and Johannes Swoboda from Austria.
The meeting is centered on the freedom of word, transparency in the
parliament. A meeting of the Committee and a news conference will
be held at the Milli Majlis [Azerbaijan Parliament] on 12 September,
whereas a meeting with the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is also
on schedule.
On 13 September meetings will be held with the Ministers of foreign
affairs, defense, justice, the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims
Clerical Board, as well as leader of the Azerbaijani community of
Nagorno-Karabakh. The European parliamentarians intend to meet with
journalists in custody and representatives of the Forum of Azerbaijani
students in Europe.
A new conference will be held on 14 September with the participation
of representatives from the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan and
the UN High Commissariat for Refugees, visit to Sumgayit, meeting
with representatives of BP Azerbaijan, and tour of the Sangachal
oil terminal.
The meeting will discuss an Agreement on cooperation and partnership
between the EU and Azerbaijan, the current state of cooperation within
the framework EU’s European Neighborhood Policy, as well as energy
partnership. The agenda of discussions include the political situation
in Azerbaijan and constitutional issues, the 2008 presidential
elections, democratic reforms, human rights, freedom of word and
press, legal reforms, Azerbaijan’s obligations in the sphere of stable
development. Moreover, it is planned to mull economic development
of the country, environmental protection, social issues and poverty
reduction, energy security in the Asian and Black Sea regions.
The meeting will also focus on the resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The previous 7th meeting of the committee was held in Strasbourg on
13-14 December 2006. The committee was established in 1996 and is
comprised of Azerbaijani MPs and members of the European Parliament.