Assa-Irada
Aug 5 2004
PACE Rapporteurs Start Meetings In Baku
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
rapporteurs on Azerbaijan Andreas Gross (Switzerland) and Andreas
Herkel (Estonia) arrived in Baku on Tuesday night.
The goal of the visit is to clear up issues related to compliance
with the resolution passed by the PACE in its January session and
prepare a report on the results of the Baku visit.
On Wednesday, the PACE rapporteurs met with human rights activists
and leaders of political parties represented in the Milli Majlis
(parliament).
The commitments that Azerbaijan made to the Council of Europe (CE)
upon admission were discussed in a meeting with human rights
activists. However, the parties didn’t exchange views on the issue on
political prisoners but discussed court processes underway in the
country.
Later in a meeting with leaders of political parties represented in
the Milli Majlis (parliament), opposition MPs underlined that the
European Community was not willing to speak about the rights of
Azerbaijani refugees. They stressed that the political and economic
relations in Azerbaijan won’t be in compliance with CE requirements
until the Upper Karabakh conflict is settled.
Gross said that he has never come to Azerbaijan to give advice and
noted that they would exchange views on existing problems during the
visit. Touching upon the Upper Karabakh conflict, the PACE rapporteur
said that they try to eliminate the consequences of the conflict. `We
hoped that Azerbaijan and Armenia will reach common agreement on the
settlement of the conflict after they are admitted to the CE.
Unfortunately, we didn’t witness it,’ he underlined.
Gross said that it was wrong to explain Azerbaijan’s existing
problems with the consequences of the conflict.
The opposition MPs also underscored that the occupied lands of
Azerbaijan are being used for growing and trafficking narcotics.
On Thursday they are expected to meet with leaders of political
parties and members of the Human Rights Organizations Monitoring
Group.