Nagorno Karabakh issue included into report on Situation of human rights in Europe

The approval of the report on situation of human rights in Europe and Montenegro's admission to the Council of Europe were debated. Analogous issues were discussed at the meeting of the PACE Political Affairs Committee.

Azerbaijan was discussed at the meetings of both committees. Member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE, parliamentarian Gultekin Hajiyeva told the APA's European bureau that the report "The situation of democracy in Europe" drawn up by Swiss parliamentarian Andreas Gross was debated.

"I gave proposals to this report and most of them have been taken into consideration. The proposals were connected with the necessity of preventing cases of islamophobia, religious and national discrimination and creating conditions for ensuring women's rights in European democracies. The discussions on the report "Situation of human rights in Europe" drawn up by Purgoridz, parliamentarian from Cyprus, was very interesting for Azerbaijan. The most interesting point in the report is connected with uncontrolled territories in Europe. I had some additions to the report. The rapporteur included South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transnestria in the list of uncontrolled territories, but forgot Nagorno Karabakh. After my serious remark, the rapporteur agreed to include Nagorno Karabakh into the list of uncontrolled territories," she said.

Gultekin Hajiyeva noted that there were unpleasant momentums during the discussions.

"Deputy Chief of the Committee for Legal Affairs, Ukrainian MP Holovatiy was against my proposal and said that Nagorno Karabakh problem differs from South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transnestria problems. He always expresses his own position and his position does not coincide with the position of the Ukrainian government. I protested against his position and drew his attention to four resolutions of the UN Security Council and the document #1416 adopted by the PACE in January, 2005. I also told the committee members that Holovatiy is very crude towards the Azerbaijani delegation. Nagorno Karabakh is not a disputed territory. Azerbaijan's sovereign rights over Nagorno Karabakh are out of discussion. I asked Holovatiy what his position is based on and said that such position of a deputy chief of the Committee for Legal Affairs is unwelcoming. My remarks were adopted and Nagorno Karabakh was included in the list of uncontrolled territories in Europe," she said.

Gultekin Hajiyeva said that the reports approved at the meetings of both committees will be debated in the PACE spring session.