AZERBAIJAN TRIES TO PRESS PACE

ArmInfo Agency, Armenia
Oct 4 2007

ArmInfo. Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament Ogtay Asadov visiting
Strasbourg, met PACE President Rene van der Linden. After the meeting,
both of them gave a press-conference.

As APA reports, Rene van der Linden recalled about his visit to the
South Caucasus this summer and informed about meetings with several
officials, including Ogtay Asadov. The latter told about opinions
exchange held on a number of issues. "I said that I am concerned over
absence of progress in the Karabakh conflict settlement issue. This
conflict negatively affects development of the region in general. The
question of Rene van der Linden on what he can do for the conflict
settlement is of interest for us. We think that not only PACE but
all the international organizations should assist in implementation
of decisions and resolutions they made, ad infinitum.

As you know, PACE resolution N1416 exists. Even if the international
organizations have no pressure mechanisms, they will be able to turn
the opposite side into an object of discussion and, thus, assist in
the conflict settlement".

Thus, O. Asadov made an attempt to press PACE, having recommended
it to turn Armenia into "an object of discussion". He also expressed
confidence that PACE, which recognizes the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan , will not save efforts for peaceful settlement of the
Karabakh conflict in line with the world standards, under which the
Azerbaijani representative means the standards which meet Azerbaijan’s
idea of fair settlement of the conflict.