Head of OSCE Office in Baku Maurizio Pavesi: “Such meetings should be continued, regardless their results”

Deputy executive secretary of YAP Seyavush Novruzov told APA after the second part of the meeting that he considers these discussions important and expressed their interest in continuing such meetings. He stated that, Azerbaijan has law on “Freedom of peaceful assembly” and he considers this law does not need serious amendments:” Only some details might need amendments”.

Chairman of PFPA(r) Ali Karimli told the journalists that, the heads of the executive powers determined the stadiums outside the city for holding rallies in most cases and he drew the attention of the seminar participants to this matter: “The reporters said that rallies are held in densely populated areas through the world. General opinion stressed that providing such conditions and holding such rallies in the settlements and villages are regulated by Election Code not just “Freedom of peaceful assembly”.

The authorities also confessed that, no problem must be caused during the election campaign”. According to Ali Karimli, general consensus was reached on not causing such problems. There was a discussion on the matter of using force by police and law enforcement bodies. It was recommended that police solve the problem in the frame of law not use force.

According to A.Karimli, some reconcilements were observed in the opinions of the YAP representatives in comparison with the previous meetings. A.Karimli said that no documents were signed as the result of the meeting: “We were not interested in the format of this seminar. The main thing is to continue these discussions and achieve results”. A.Karimli also noted that there was not any decision whether this seminar will be continued.

Head of OSCE Office in Baku Maurizio Pavesi told journalists that the organization he represents always demonstrated initiative of holding such events between authority and opposition parties and will further display such initiatives. Saying of meeting to be in very tense situation,

M.Pavesi considered it natural: “It is impossible for the discussion between the rival parties not to be tense on the eve of the election campaign. Such meetings should be continued, regardless of their results. However, it is more important to achieve results”.

As concerns whether concrete seminar-meeting will last, M.Pavesi said there is no decision on this. As for the meetings held among parties, the OSCE representative told that the parties can organize such meeting on their own initiatives if they like. He said that the Office in Baku will also participate in the processes closely.