Baku, Azerbaijan, March 2
By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend:
Azerbaijan is at a turning point which will allow it to improve its relations with Europe and the Council of Europe, said Pedro Agramunt, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), ending a two-day state visit to Azerbaijan.
Agramunt stressed that he held meetings with Azerbaijani leadership as part of the visit, the statement posted on the PACE official website said.
"I was encouraged by the frank and open discussions with my high-level interlocutors about a number of rule of law and human rights issues," the statement said. "I was able to discuss openly with the highest authorities some of the problems faced by civil society in terms of the recent legislation, affecting NGOs."
"I could raise some of the issues arising from the recent parliamentary elections," the statement said. "I was in a position to press for greater co-operation with the Council of Europe's Venice Commission."
Agramunt was on a visit to Azerbaijan Feb. 29-March 1. He was elected the PACE president at the organization's winter session in Strasbourg Jan. 25. In 2010-2015, Agramunt worked as a co-rapporteur of PACE for Azerbaijan. He replaced Anne Brasseur on this post.