 MANDATE OF THE AZERBAIJANI DELEGATION IN PACE MAY BE CALLED OFFThe draft of the resolution to be submitted for consideration of the upcoming PACE session reads. On January 26 the winter session of the Parliament Assembly of Council of Europe will start. In Baku they are concerned with this as they understand the possible consequences of the resolution the draft of which was submitted by the PACE monitoring committee. The text of the project written by reporters Andreas Gross and Martines Kassan is not very favorable for Azerbaijan. It contains analysis of the situation in Azerbaijan.  January 22, 2004PanARMENIAN.Net - ''The implementation of its commitments to the Council of Europe by Azerbaijani authorities is not satisfactory,'' the document reads. It notes that the Presidential elections taken place on October 15, 2003 in Azerbaijan ''did not match the international standards'' and as a result of falsification of the results of the elections ''the victory of Ilham Aliyev is doubtful''. The Assembly thinks that such elections, when the members of electoral commissions are under a pressure, are unacceptable for a CoE member-country. The arrests that started before the elections are continuing. The authors of the report urged the Azerbaijani authorities to release all the political prisoners and give up political arrests. This situation is caused by non-application of the principle of division of the power. In a democratic society the Parliament must have the right and the possibility to raise problems and to expect an answer from the Government, the resolution reads. The assembly fixes serious facts of violation of rights of journalists and mass media in Azerbaijan. For example, the independent media were ''almost paralyzed'', while the pro-governmental media were conducting an open agitation in favor of one candidate. The report reads that the Azerbaijani authorities have not taken into account none of the recommendations contained in the PACE resolution of 2002. The volumes of post-electoral protests testify the lack of possibility for the population to express democratically their protest. The assembly also believes that it is necessary to reform the juridical system of the country for ensuring its independence. The resolution notes that the ''Assembly can not stop the procedure of monitoring of the situation in Azerbaijan till the country achieves a progress in the above mentioned positions and holds independent and democratic elections''. ''If the country does not fix a real progress till June 2004, the Assembly may decide to call off the mandate of the parliamentary delegation of Azerbaijan in the Council of Europe''.  Most popular in the section Who is who in the web of so many Sargsyans Controversy in quotations There will be no ideal solution Split of opposition votes    At focus More articles in this section6 simple facts about Armenia–Karabakh–Azerbaijan triangle  Everything you need to knowMain arguments of Armenia’s first President Next Karabakh proposals will be even worseBizarre election promises Church taxation and restoration of monasteries in Western Armenia |  Other articles Latest news Armenian wrestlers win 3 medals at U20 European Championships The Armenian team has won 3 medals at the U20 European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships.Putin to meet Erdogan, Aliyev on SCO sidelines Putin will hold meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.CSI urges IOC to ban Azerbaijan from Paris 2024 The organization said in a statement that there is no place for genocide at the Olympics.Bipartisan U.S. Congressional delegation arrives in Armenia Senator Wicker is also the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. |
