PACE SUPPORTS PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV
Reporters on Azerbaijan Andreas Gross and Malcolm Bruce spoke of legal state construction in the Country, on democratic reforms, alterations in numerous fields of life, almost completion of the taken obligations, positive assessment given by the Council of Europe to the Decree of the newly elected President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on amnesty that evoked positive opinion, meanwhile they noted the shortcomings during the Presidential elections.
Joining hot debates, the parliamentarians noted that despite short period, important steps were made in the Republic, and that the existent opposition tries to forcibly assume power, as a result of which arranged disorders, the Country has joined numerous Conventions. The deputies also emphasized that 20 percents of the Country’s territories were occupied by Armenia, as a result of which over one million of people became refugees and IDPs. Also was stressed that some issues in the report do not go with the real facts but base on random information, and that some colleagues have negative position related to Azerbaijan. It was noted that the Country, turning its 13th anniversary of state independence, could not be imposed the same requirements as for the countries with hundred years of history.
Underlined was also the fact that the shortages in the presidential election campaign did not have any substantial impact on the results of elections and that Ilham Aliyev had a worthy victory.
The deputies recalled logic remarks of their former colleague and the incumbent President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev and expressed their confidence that he would make resolute efforts to acquire the European values in the Country and improve social welfare of the people. In these deeds, the Council of Europe should make any assistance to the President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev.
Some corrections were made to the text of reports. In the text, related to the detainees of the 15-16 October 2003 events, on recommendation of the Azerbaijani deputies, the expression “prisoners” was replaced with “detainees”.
The Azerbaijani deputies also protested the expression “Nagorno Karabakh and other occupied territories” in the text, which was corrected as “occupied Nagorno Karabakh and other territories”. It stemmed from the first wording that Nagorno Karabakh was not occupied.
These corrections of Azerbaijani deputies seriously worried the Armenian delegation. They attempted to mislead the session and present the “Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and Nagorno Karabakh problem” as “Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan problem”, and, thus, misrepresent the truth, mislead the world community from the fact that Armenian is an occupant and aggressive state. But they failed again.
The deputies of Azerbaijan and even the well-known Andreas Gross protested the Armenian deputies.
Several issues in connection with Azerbaijan’s obligations will be considered in June current year.
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PACE RECOGNIZED ARMENIA AS AN AGGRESSIVE STATE
In the second half of the fist day, fulfillment of the obligations by Armenia was discussed. Reporter for Armenia, the Polish deputy Jerzi Jaskuer noted that there were serious irregularities in the presidential and parliament elections in Armenia, and the elections did not conform the European standards, Armenia has not fulfilled the obligations it took related to Nagorno Karabakh and it impeded freedom of speech and press.
Speaking around the report, the deputies pointed that there is no freedom of religion in Armenia, the opposition is under suppress, local authorities face numerous obstacles, and there is a threat as sale of human organs in this country.
Deputies form Azerbaijan Gultakin Hajiyeva and Bakhtiyar Aliyev dwelt on the ignorance by Armenia the four UN Resolutions on unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories. They also noted that the Council of Europe, being a guarantor of human rights turn a blind eye to human rights of over one million of Azerbaijanis that as a result of Armenian aggression have become refugees and IDPs, as well as the CE Resolution in regard with illegal settlement of the Armenians at the occupied Azerbaijani lands
The Armenian deputy attempted to evoke sympathy in the hearts of their Christian brothers for the “poor” Armenians as they are in “blockade” basing on a pretext as though Azerbaijan allegedly wanted to oust the Armenians from Nagorno Karabakh.
Armenian deputy A. Rustamyan said that he prefers peaceful negotiations in the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and that this dialogue should take place between the delegations of Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh. As evident, the Armenian deputy intended to present Nagorno Karabakh as a separate structure. Both the Azerbaijani deputies and other deputies expressed their protest against this insidious purpose of the Armenians. After voting, it appeared that motion of the Armenian deputy did not pass and thus, Armenia was again considered as an aggressive and occupant state.
Winter session of PACE is underway.
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