AZERBAIJAN’S DEPUTY JUSTICE MINISTER ADDRESSES CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE NETHERLANDS
APA
Nov 17 2009
Azerbaijan
Utrecht. Fuad Gulubayli – APA. Deputy Justice Minister of Azerbaijan
Vilayat Zahirov addressed the ministerial conference organized by the
Council of Europe and the government of Netherlands in Utrecht, APA’s
Europe bureau reports. Zahirov said the report made by Minister of
Public Administration and Local Government of Finland Mari Kiviniemi on
strengthening the activity of the Council of Europe was very important
for improving the work of the Council of Europe in the field of local
and regional democracy. He said Council of Europe’s strengthening
its relations with other international organizations will help member
states find answers to such global threats as economic crisis, national
extremism and terrorism. Deputy Minister said the forum will offer
opportunities to determine new priorities and give an impetus to the
development of the local democracy in the CE member states.
Expert of Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative of the
Open Society Institute, Professor Kenneth Davey made a report on the
impact of the economic crisis on the local and regional authorities
and cooperation of the bordering countries. Vilayat Zahirov said
he supported the views on financing the local authorities, meeting
the needs of the citizens, organizing effective cooperation and
facilitating the business sphere for eliminating economic crisis.
Touching on the cooperation of the bordering states, Deputy Minister
underlined that Azerbaijan ratified European framework convention
and additional protocols.
"We are developing our cooperation with Turkey, Russia, Georgia and
other neighbors. But such cooperation is impossible with Armenia
that occupied Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding regions. As a
result of Armenia’s aggression against our country, 20 percent of
Azerbaijani territories have been occupied, one million people have
been displaced. We are sure that after the occupation ends, the
relations with this neighboring country will be normalized," he said.