Thorbjørn Jagland: 'I don’t support call for boycott of cultural events like Eurovision'

APA interviewed Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland

- Last year Azerbaijan marked 10 years of its membership at the Council of Europe. How do you value the cooperation with Azerbaijan in the past ten years?

- Azerbaijan’s joining the Council of Europe is very important event. As a full member of the organization, Azerbaijan joined the European Convention on Human Rights and undertook commitments. It is important for Azerbaijan to observe the norms. We were expecting peaceful solution of Nagorno Karabakh problem when Azerbaijan and Armenia joined the Council of Europe. Unfortunately it didn’t happen in the past ten years. There are problems with some values as the freedom of press and assembly that upset us. There are discords on possibility of preparation of the report on political prisoners in Azerbaijan by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

- When Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe will sign Action Plan and Memorandum of Understanding?

- I hope we will finish the issues of Action Plan and Memorandum of Understanding as soon as possible. We are negotiating this issue with the Azerbaijani officials and I hope final decision will be made in the near future. Indeed it is good idea to visit Baku for finishing and signing the Memorandum, but it is too early to say when it will take place. I think it is not real to say that it will happen before the summer.

- Last week you issued statement on the state of journalists in Azerbaijan and mentioned Azerbaijan-host Eurovision 2012 contest. But there are some forces in Europe that call for boycott of this music festival. Is it correct to politicize this cultural event?

- I don’t support call for boycott of cultural events like Eurovision. One needs to avoid politicization of such events. While undertaking organization of such event Azerbaijan had to be ready and to expect that there will be discussions on situation in the country. It had to know that mass media and certain NGOs will raise the issues of freedom of press and assembly and indeed it is a part of this event. While deciding to hold the event, it needs to accept the possibility of developments around this event. This is like a football championship. You don’t play football only, but address other issues as well.

- Recently international organizations, including the European Union have started to support the OSCE Minsk Group activity toward the solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict. What initiatives does the Council of Europe put forward?

- Of course, the Council of Europe is not represented in the OSCE Minsk Group. We don’t participate in the negotiations and are not invited to the discussions. However taking into consideration that Azerbaijan and Armenia are the members of our organization, I should say that both countries have to contribute to the improvement of situation toward this. For example, it is positive step that the ambassadors and delegations of both countries come together at the Committee of Ministers and Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

- You mention the participation of Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations in PACE. As you know the PACE subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh can not work fully because Armenian delegation refused to participate in its work. Does your organization intend to take steps for restoration of the activity of this subcommittee?

- This issue is addressed mostly by PACE and therefore I wouldn’t like to comment on this. However I consider that such issues arise from the complications of the conflict. The Council of Europe doesn’t play any role in finding alternatives of political solution to this conflict. I hope joint participation of both delegations at the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly will have positive effect on general process toward the solution to the conflict.


/APA/