CE DIRECTOR GENERAL URGES AZERBAIJAN TO CONTINUE APPLICATION OF DEMOCRATIC PRACTICE
Trend News Agency
Oct 29 2008
Azerbaijan
France, Strasburg, 29 October /TrendNews corr. A.Gasimova / Exclusive
interview of Trend News with the Council of Europe (CE) Director
General for Political Affairs Jean-Louis Laurens:
Question: What is your appraisal of the current level of cooperation
between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe?
Answer: The cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe is
developing at a high level and is based on mutual trust. Implementation
of the election action plan within the CE-Azerbaijan cooperation is
a bright example in this respect. This plan was an important element
enabling to hold elections in the most democratic conditions. As you
know, Ago Monitoring Group of the CE Ministerial Committee and PACE
exercises control over implementation of the CE commitments. Certainly,
there are still issues that must be solved, including freedom of
assembly, press, the issues related to political prisoners. Those are
questions pending their solution and the Government of Azerbaijan
should strive to fulfil all obligations set for it while joining
the organization.
Question: What distinguishes the 15 October presidential election in
Azerbaijan from the previous ones?
Answer: I can refer only to joint official statements of the
observation missions, that is, the PACE and the OSCE Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. Their statements indicate
the advancements in the elections and also emphasize that from
now on efforts will be made in the abovementioned areas. I think
the work carried out before the election in an effort to improve
democratic practices in institutional and legislation fields,
as well as elections, should be continued. This statement of the
election observation mission was made with a purpose to hold the
next elections – municipal elections in 2009, parliamentary – 2010,
in a democratic manner.
As to critical opinions related to the election, along with positive
aspects the official statement of the observation mission also includes
negative milestones. This is itself is an indication. Now I cannot
say anything about what decision PACE will make during the discussion
over the observation mission’s report. The practice is that this
report will be included in the agenda of the next plenary session of
the organization in January, as soon as it is considered by the PACE
Bureau. It would be premature to say whether there is criticism or
not. On the other hand, the chairman of the Ministerial Committee,
Swedish FM Carl Bildt spoke on the issue. I have nothing more to
add. We discussed at the secretariat the control over elections, and
there are ideas to continue the cooperation. The Azerbaijani delegation
to the CE expressed its readiness to cooperate to ensure democratic
manner of local and parliamentary elections. As to non-participation
of the opposition parties in the election, I can say that boycotting
has never been a correct and good policy. The "empty chair policy"
was not a good one. I cannot put myself in the place of the political
forces in Azerbaijan.
Question: Does the Council of Europe have another action plan on
Azerbaijan?
Answer: Still there is no ready plan. Still it is early. Both the
CE and the Government of Azerbaijan have the desire to continue
co-operation in this regard. Besides, in democracy there is a
pre-election stage and the post-election stage. We are always at the
pre-election stage and the post-stage elections. The principle of
democracy is to hold balanced and democratic elections at all levels –
presidential, parliamentary, municipal elections. Therefore, assistance
to the election and the desire to co-operate must be permanent. Indeed,
we will continue this. On the other hand, the development of the plan
with regards to the presidential election has not been completed yet.
We will make assessment of this plan, and afterwards, will design
proposals regarding next elections. Here the questions are the
media coverage of the elections, participation of all political
forces, legislation base because not all recommendations of the
Venice Commission have been realized. I cannot be more precise. These
questions will be discussed during the final report of the observation
election mission. In addition, there will be considered a question,
in what direction the discussions will take place with the Azerbaijani
side to continue co-operation.
Question: The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an issue of concern for the
CE. What are the recommendations of the organization to precipitate
settlement of the conflict? At what level is the CE-European Union
cooperation on South Caucasus issues?
Answer: The OSCE Minsk Group is directly engaged in Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. If the CE applies for conducting the expertise in various
fields so we will be prepared to answer. On the other hand, we jointly
with the EU, realize majority of projects concerning the South Caucuses
within the framework of a joint program. A meeting of CE Ministerial
Committee group of rapporteurs discussed on 23 October the document
‘On priorities of EU-CE cooperation’. Cooperation on South Caucasus
in this document takes the first place.
Question: When will the CE Secretary General pay visit to region
to survey the facts on destruction of cultural heritage in the
Nagorno-Karabakh and other Azerbaijani regions attached to it? What
is the main reason of the delay of this visit?
Answer: This visit is on focus and on agenda, but the aspects of its
realization are still to be solved. The Secretary General wishes to
pay the visit to the region shortly. The cultural heritage implies
culture and people. Should all the necessary conditions are fulfilled,
the CE secretariat will be prepared to create conditions for group
of experts to work.
Question: The Georgia-Ossetia conflict was the major topic of
discussion at the latest session of PACE. What is your explanation of
the war in Georgia? Did the CE make enough efforts to prevent the war?
Answer: From this point of view, the CE did not stay aside. As a whole,
the international community did not make sufficient efforts to prevent
the war. If CE’s two member-countries are at war between themselves,
this is the failure of the international community. Both countries
are members of the Council of Europe, and therefore, this problem
is of our direct concern. It is possible to say that in reality the
CE is not an organization regulating crises. This is not the primary
task of the organization.
The Council of Europe is an organization, which recommends the
establishment of environment and context that provide possibilities
to prevent conflicts. This is its task. Surely, we could not render
sufficient assistance in this regard. We could not to necessarily
assess the increase in the risk of danger and tension in the
region. Therefore, the Council of Europe must make conclusions to
solve other conflict situations existing in this geographical region.
Question: May the recognition of the independence of Kosovo become
a precedent for other "lingering" conflicts now after declaration of
independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia?
Answer: Some people say that Kosovo is a unique question and
takes the character of "sui generis". This question cannot be
precedent for other lingering conflicts. There are two kinds of
thinking. It is important for each situation to have its sources
and peculiarities. The CE is not an organization, which recognizes
or does not recognize independence. Recognizing is the work, which
is done by the member-countries. Whenever a decision on entrance of
newly established countries to the international arena is made, then
the Committee of Ministers will undertake a burden of decision making.
Question: The war in Georgia has demonstrated how it is dangerous to
unfreeze the frozen conflicts. What about establishment of a standing
unit at CE so that to get more acquainted with other ongoing conflicts?
Answer: I cannot say that there is a need to establish an organization,
which will deal with it. It is clear that tremendous efforts must
be made to establish mutual understanding, democratic and peaceful
dialogue, including good neighbourhood relations. The Directorate,
which I head, must render considerable assistance to this process. We
could not do this sufficiently. It is not so easy to change mentality
and culture. We can not change this within a short period. This is the
work of generations. Why cannot the reconciliation, which was reached
between France and Germany after three wars, be realized in other
places? In this respect it is necessary to have such personalities
as Adenauer and Charles de Goll.
Question: What arrangements does the CE, particularly the CE
Directorate, take to find ways out of the situation in Georgia?
Answer: Proposals regarding Georgia are being developed by the
Committee of Ministers and they cover three directions. Firstly, the
urgent task is the repatriation of refugees and IDPs. The second is
restoration of human rights. Work of CE Commissar for Human Rights
Tomas Hammerberg is of great significance in this sphere and needs
unconditional support in all zones to restore fundamental principles
of democracy and human rights. The third is the EU’s conduct of
training about Human Rights. These are pressing questions. Purely
political issues and those related to the control over fulfilment
of obligations are under discussion. In fact, this crisis arose the
question of fulfilment of obligations undertaken by both member states
as well as peaceful settlement of the conflict and non-intervention
into each-others affairs.
It is also planned to take long-term actions, including establishment
of confidence and dialogue between the sides. In addition, restoration
of cultural heritage damaged during the war will enable people replaced
from the homelands, to return to their native lands. The mission of
the CE Secretariat has already completed visit to Georgia where it
proposed to restore cultural heritage.
Question: What is your appraisal to the political and democratic
situation in Armenia in wake of the events of 1 March?
Answer: PACE, Ago Group and Commissar for Human Rights are closely
observing this issue. The deadline is January, as PACE resolution
adopted in June indicates that the organization will re-examine
Armenia’s fulfilment of its commitments on the basis of future progress
in the investigation into March events and case of dead and arrested
during these events.
New Committee of Experts was set up in accordance with the 23 October
decree of the Armenian President as a supplement to Parliamentary
Commission on investigation into March events. There is progress. It
is necessary to wait for January session to see whether Armenia has
complied with PACE recommendations.
Question: What is your appraisal to the enhancement of cooperation
between GUAM and CE after the consultations that took place in
March 2008?
Answer: In fact, it was first high-level consultation between
the two organizations. GUAM is an organization uniting the CE
member-countries. Hence, there are permanent relations between CE
and GUAM member-countries. At present, the organizations do not
plan institutional cooperation. Indeed, GUAM always expresses its
attitude to issues of mutual interest. We have programs covering
GUAM member-countries. We are prepared to cooperate with GUAM and
countries taking part in this process.
Question: What South Caucasus-related projects are expected to be
carried out in future?
Answer: Regional conference of three countries Rule of Law in the South
Caucasus will be held in Tbilisi from 19 to 22 November. Moreover, we
are working over the project on cooperation of political and scientific
schools of South Caucasus, and it is financed by a German fund.