VENICE COMMISSION CAN HELP AZERBAIJAN TO INVOLVE ARMENIAN POPULATION IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH TO ELECTIONS ONLY THROUGH RECOMMENDATIONS – CE REPRESENTATIVE
Trend News Agency
Feb 27 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Baku, 26 February /Trend News corr K. Ramazanova/
The Venice Commission of the Council of Europe (CE) believes the
Azerbaijani citizens of the Armenian origin have the right to vote
and should participate in the elections.
"Each citizen in the country, irrespective of his homeland, has the
right to take part in the elections," a representative of the Venice
Commission Sergey Kuznetsov told Trend News in a telephone conversation
from Strasburg on 26 February.
Previously, the head of the Azerbaijan Central Election Committee
(CEC) Mazahir Panahov said that the Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian
origin residing in Nagorno-Karabakh should have a right to vote and
Azerbaijan is prepared to do that.
Due to the presidential elections taking place in October, in
January the district election committees began to identify the
electoral roll, which will be ready by the end of April. According
to Panahov, Azerbaijan decided to resort the help of the
international organizations when specifying the electoral roll in
the Nagorno-Karabakh region which is occupied by Armenia. However,
he accused the international organizations of being inactive.
The Venice Commission is ready to assist Azerbaijan only through
recommendations.
"The Code of Recommended Regulations on Elections can be used in this
connection," Kuznetsov said.
Last year, 4,218 electors were registered in the Khankendi
constituency-122. There are 10 constituencies in Khankendi.