MEETING AT BAKU STATE UNIVERSITY
Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer met with students and teaching staff of the Baku State University, April 8. Warmly welcoming the guest, Rector of the University, Corresponding member of the National Academy of Science, Prof. Abel Maharramov first familiarized the meeting participants with Mr. Schwimmer’s biography, and then informed him in detail on the history and activity of the Baku University. He further said: “We want youth of small states like their coevals in super states to face the future with confidence, without war and pain of lands loss, and hold worthy place in the globalizing world. I believe the Council of Europe will take efforts to create such conditions in the country.”The Rector expressed hope for fair solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. “We are confident that the way of integration into Europe defined by nationwide leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev will be further continued under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, who won convincing victory in October elections held in democratic and transparent atmosphere,” Mr. Abel Maharramov added.Having thanked for the kind words, COE Secretary General Walter Schwimmer told of the obligations and commitments Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia had assumed upon joining the Council of Europe, explained what does European means, touched upon the history of wars and conflicts saying that all wars and conflicts end with peace. The Secretary General reminded that in May 1994, seize fire was established between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and cited the city of Strasbourg as an example demonstrating that conflicting sides reach peace after bloody battles. “This is the very essence of Europe,” he said. Afterwards, Walter Schwimmer responded to the questions from the audience.