PACE president: "The modification of presidential term limits, including the extension of the term of office of a President, raise serious concerns as regards the future of democracy in Azerbaijan"

- As is known, Azerbaijan has halted transmission of Radio Liberty, Voice of America and BBC radio stations on local frequencies. Is the Parliamentary Assembly making any steps to restore transmission of these radio stations? Are talks under way with Azerbaijani powers and is it possible that the transmission of these radio stations will be restored in Azerbaijan? On the whole, do international organizations have a right to interfere with this issue?

- As I stated jointly with Miguel ?ngel Moratinos, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation, on 15 January 2009, when Azerbaijan acceded to the Council of Europe in 2001, it undertook to guarantee the freedom of expression and independence of the media, which are essential preconditions for the functioning of a democratic society. We find it highly regrettable that the Azerbaijani National Radio and Television Council recently decided not to renew the licences of several foreign broadcasters. This cannot but create obstacles to pluralism of information in this country, to the detriment of the interests of the Azerbaijani population. As pluralism is the basis of the principles in any democratic society, we hope that the decision adopted will be reconsidered and that steps can be taken quickly to rectify this situation. As it has done in the past, the Council of Europe is ready to provide assistance to the Azerbaijani authorities to this end.

Azerbaijan needs an informed civil society to strengthen its democracy. The interruption negatively affects the plurality of the media landscape, in a country where defamation is still penalised, where some journalists are imprisoned.

Azerbaijan has freely committed itself to meet European standards in terms of democracy, rule of law and human rights. This decision is a setback to freedom of expression in Azerbaijan. We call on the authorities to make sure that the provisions of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights are strictly observed, as well as the related case-law of the European Court of Human Rights.

I encourage the authorities to find a solution to ensure continuation of broadcasting of foreign radios in the Azeri language in Azerbaijan, and access of Azebaijani population to independent information.

- The Azerbaijani parliament has begun considering issue about holding a referendum in the country for introduction of amendments to the Constitution according to which one and the same person can be elected the head of the state for more than twice. Is introduction of such amendments to the main law of the country expedient and can PACE disagree with the holding of such a referendum in Azerbaijan?

- As a Council of Europe member State, Azerbaijan has committed itself to democracy, rule of law and respect of human rights. The modification of presidential term limits, including the extension of the term of office of a President and the postponement of elections in the event of war, considering that the country is actually at war since 1990, raise serious concerns as regards the future of democracy in Azerbaijan. Moreover the prohibition of video, audio and photo recording against a person’s will, as proposed in the constitutional amendment, could pose a real threat to freedom of speech and the press.
 
I encourage the Azerbaijani authorities to collaborate with the Council of Europe before making any substantial changes in its Constitution and seek the Venice Commission’s opinion on the constitutional amendments submitted to a referendum, and ensure they are in fully compliance with Azerbaijan’s obligations as a member state. 

- Which role can PACE play in the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh? As is known, there is a subcommittee to study the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in the PACE framework. Does PACE plan to intensify efforts for the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict?

- The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh region is the most significant obstacle to peace and stability in the South Caucasus. Since the outbreak of military hostilities and the following ceasefire signed in May 1994, the parties have been unable to agree on any concrete measures which would bring about a lasting peace. There is an urgent need to solve this conflict in order to end the personal, economic and social suffering on both sides. Dialogue at different levels, including the parliamentary level, and confidence-building measures may help speed up the conflict’s political solution and provide a basis for coexistence based on democratic principles and in respect of international law.

To this end, the Assembly’s Bureau set up in 2005 the “Ad Hoc Committee on the implementation of Resolution 1416 (2005) on the conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference”, composed of the chairpersons of the national delegations of Armenia, Azerbaijan, France, Germany, Italy, the Russian Federation, Sweden, Turkey; representatives of all political groups of the Assembly; and representatives of the parliamentary opposition from Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Ad Hoc Committee focuses its action on the creation of a positive climate around the negotiations and the promotion of a dialogue at the parliamentary level and between the populations of the two countries concerned, as well as the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, minority rights, examination of different models of autonomy etc. It may organise hearings, in particular with senior officials of Foreign Ministries of the OSCE Minsk Group member states, as well as with representatives of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the Venice Commission and representatives of civil society from both sides.

The Parliamentary Assembly’s role should be to ensure the implementation of Resolutions 1416 (2005) and 1690 (2005). For this purpose the Ad Hoc Committee will be renewed by the Bureau in 2009 and continue its work.

- Azerbaijan has revealed a fact of free supply of armament of a total of $800,000,000 to Armenia by Russia. In turn, Moscow does not recognize this fact. What can you say about this fact and the presence of the Russian military base in Armenia, which is one of the parties in the conflict? To what extend do you think Russia is interested in stability in the South Caucasus, especially in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict?

- We have no information regarding the arms’ supply you mention and therefore would not comment. Moreover defence agreements based on mutual consent between two sovereign member states of the Council of Europe is the internal business of those countries. As a member of the OSCE Minsk group, the Russian Federation is formally committed to help resolve the conflict over that region by peaceful means. The latest initiatives by President Medvedev clearly indicate Russia’s support for that principle.
 
/Day.Az/