New Council of Europe co-rapporteur on Azerbaijan to be appointed in 2009

"Several candidates claim to replace the former co-reporter Evgenia Zhivkova, but no decision has been made on who will be appointed as the new co-rapporteur," Gultekin Hajibayli, a member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said.

Joining the Council of Europe in 2001, Azerbaijan undertook a number of commitments. The Monitoring Committee observes implementation of these commitments.

Zhivkova retired from the post of co-rapporteur of the Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe on Azerbaijan in June.

Hajibayli said Azerbaijan is not involved in making decision to appoint co-rapporteurs.

"Of course, we would like the co-rapporteur to come from one of the representatives of Turkey, Georgia and other countries close to us. However, the discussions in the Monitoring Committee are held behind closed doors, so the name of the new co-rapporteur will be made public only after a decision is adopted," she said.

She said Azerbaijan does not want the post of co-rapporteur to be held by individuals such as former co-rapporteur on Azerbaijan Andreas Gross at all.

/Trend News/