Terry Davis: "The Council of Europe always supported the territorial integrity of its member-states"

I think that there have been some progress in terms of democracy and holding better elections but I am very concerned about freedom of expression and freedom of media in Azerbaijan, said CE Secretary General Terry Davis.

"The democracy does depend on freedom of expression and freedom of media and I am also concerned about a number of journalists who are being put under pressure in Azerbaijan", said he.

Speaking about the proposed amendments to the Constitution of Azerbaijan to be introduced via a referendum, the secretary general noted that he considers it reasonable to submit amendments to the Constitution and to have a referendum on these amendments.

"I do not think its a very good idea to rush into a referendum. I am also disappointed that the government of Azerbaijan did not ask for the opinion of experts of the Council of Europe".

As for the amendments connected with the prohibition of video, audio of photo recording without permission of a person, Davis said it is very important to have a balance between on the one hand the right of privacy and on the other hand the right of media to comment on what a politician is doing, especially if a politician or a public official draws public attention to his or her private life. In that case media has a right to scrutinize on what the politician or public official is doing.

The CE Secretary General also spoke of the CE position on the Karabakh conflict.

"The position of the Council of Europe should be very clear not only on this conflict but on other conflicts as well. We believe that all international and domestic internal disputes should be solved by peaceful means and it was agreed by both Azerbaijan and Armenia when they joined the Council of Europe. Now the mediation between Azerbaijan and Armenia about Nagorno Karabakh is a responsibility of the Minsk Group - a part of a different organization - OSCE. And we try not to interfere with the work of the Minsk Group", noted he and said he hopes the meetings between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia will be fruitful and result in the settlement of this conflict very soon.

He also noted that there is absolutely no policy of double standards towards Azerbaijan and voiced concern about the warlike statements voiced in the region.

"I do not accept that the Council of Europe applies double standards or different standards in different places. The Council of Europe always supported the territorial integrity of its member-states and that applies to Moldova, or Cyprus or Azerbaijan. I regret very much that the way people in Azerbaijan draw attention to pointing out difficulties in Armenia. I think Armenia does the same thing about Azerbaijan. The fact is that both countries - both Azerbaijan and Armenia - need to improve. There is an old saying in the Christian Bible that before you start drawing attention to a speck of dust in the eye of someone else, you should take out a stone from your own eye. And I do wish that both Armenia and Azerbaijan concentrate on solving their own problems and raising standards of democracy and civil rights in their own country", concluded the CE Secretary General.

/Day.Az/