OFFICIAL NEWS
AZERBAIJAN WILL FURTHER DEVELOP SUCCESSFUL COOPERATION WITH THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVED PACE RAPPORTEUR
Warmly welcoming the guests, Head of the Azerbaijan State Ilham Aliyev said:
Dear Mr. Bruce, dear David, You are welcome to Azerbaijan. I welcome both of you. Azerbaijan is the member country of the Council of Europe for three years, so far, we had the successful cooperation, and I would like to express my hope that this successful cooperation will continue. For this period, we have adopted some new laws in Azerbaijan with the recommendation of the Council of Europe, and these new laws are working in our country, and they help a lot to contribute to the democratization process. It is also gratified to know that Council of Europe in its official documents has admitted Armenia as an aggressor and a special rapporteur has been appointed by the Council of Europe for the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Garabakh. I would like to express my hope that this rapporteur will arrive to the region very soon and will prepare its objective document. Azerbaijan has admitted certain responsibilities before the Council of Europe and I can say that we will fulfill these responsibilities timely. I know that hearings are planning in the Council of Europe for the next coming period devoted to the fulfillment of the responsibilities by Azerbaijan, and I would like to express my hope that Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan will be ready to work on the remaining issues. We have very serious approach to our responsibilities and I express my hope that all the responsibilities will be fulfilled by us. Your mission in the council of Europe is quite different and we know about your duties and we have discussions about these issues with you, within the Council of Europe and the Council of Europe knows very well about the position of Azerbaijan, our position is very well known. Unfortunately, so far, there is no such a definition like the political prisoner in the global practice. Therefore, it complicates the mission of the experts. In the past, we had lots of talks and discussions with you about this issue and I would like to express my hope our representatives, our official will continue this dialogue who will be able to settle this issue as well.
Malcolm Bruce: Ok, Mr. President. Thank you very much for agreeing to see us and certainly, we hope we will have a constructive and productive dialogue; that’s the intention. I have been a member of the Assembly of the Council of Europe for four years, and you were the last years’ former vice-president of that organization .So, I guess at least on that platform we’ve shared, we should understand each other. Of course, I should welcome you as the new President of your country and I certainly think that maybe as a new President with your own mark, you’ll being to move the dialogue constructively forward and, certainly, that’s why we are here to do; and I think all we have some details to discuss I certainly can assure you we’ve come here with the spirit of constructive dialogue and constructive engagement and I think that’s all we have.
Ilham Aliyev: thank you very much. I also stand for the constructive position and in fact, I can say that Azerbaijan has always been ready for this dialogue. Hundreds of prisoners amnestied by President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev’s decrees and we have always been positive to that. Of course, there were some problems in certain periods. Indeed, we had some problems on certain stages but generally, we had positive results, and I am confident that this dialogue will be continued and the problems will be resolved.
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Present at the reception were Chief of the Presidential Administration’s Department on Working with Law Enforcement Bodies Fuad Alasgarov, and head of Azerbaijani delegation to PACE Samad Seyidov.