July 31, 2002 - 23:21 AMT
BAKU AGAIN PLANS TO REQUIRE DISMISS PACE REPORTER FROM CONDUCTING MONITORING IN AZERBAIJAN
If the next reports of the monitoring group of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the situation in Azerbaijan is biased, the official Baku will again raise the question of dismissal of reporter Andreas Gross from conducting the monitoring in Azerbaijan. PACE Azeri delegation deputy chairman Samed Seidov has stated that. It should be reminded, earlier, at the recent PACE session, the Azeri delegation required removal of Andreas Gross, accusing him of facts distortion while preparing the report on the fulfillment of the obligations to the Council of Europe by Azerbaijan. According to the official Baku, Gross's position "is noted for its narrowness and subjectivism". In reply to that, the CE Secretary general Walter Schwimmer noted the Parliamentary Assembly of the CE only has the right to appoint or dismiss the members of the monitoring group.