The brightest event of the last week was a seminar on “Refugees in the Southern Caucasus” held in Baku on 4 and 5 July with organization support from the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population, Monitoring Committee and the Parliament
Ruth-Ghabi Vermot-Mangold, a Swiss deputy, the chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) subcommittee, said in his remarks that in two days they visited refugee camps to get familiar with the state of refugees and IDPs. The European parliamentarians were very surprised at the deep feeling of affection all those deported for their native lands though 15 years passed since that tragic period. However, their repatriation would not be easy. The international donor organizations should be involved to improve social state of the refugees and IDPs before their relocation.
Touching upon the state of the Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian refugees and IDPs, Boris Chilevich, the rapportuer of the PACE committee on migration, refugees and population, a Latvian deputy, noted the necessity of strengthening the integration between communities first and attract the non-governmental organizations to the improvement of refugees’ plight and their repatriation.
In his turn Ali Hassanov, the Deputy Prime-Minister, chairman of the State Committee on Refuges and IDPs, stressed that Armenia ignores all resolutions and decrees issued by the UN, OSCE and CE, which condemns the occupation of the Azerbaijani lands, and continues its occupation policy. “All international organizations made resolutions and decrees on withdrawal of the Armenian armed units from the Azerbaijani lands, while none of them has been implemented thus far,” Hassanov underlined.
Meanwhile, Robert Melik-Pashayev, a delegate from Armenia, told journalists that it was necessary to forget the past and sit at table of talks and put every effort to resolve the conflict.
The elections to Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan will be held on 6 November in accordance with the relevant decree signed by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
The same day the Democratic Reforms Party held its Constituent Assembly on July 4, approving the members of the credentials committee, as well as drafting committee and counting committee. Several foreign guests were also participating in the gathering. After speeches delivered by the guests and party executives, the authorized audience has approved the Charter of the party. Finally, the participants of the congress have unanimously approved Mr. Mollazada as the chairman of the party. There has been formed the Political Council of the party with 11 members. the chairman of the Civil Solidarity Party, MP Sabir Rustamkhanly, Member of the Executive Committee of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), MP Aydin Mirzazada and others wished the DPR successful activities in the political arena of the country.
A session of PACE Monitoring Committee has opened in Hyatt Regency hotel, Baku. In his opening remarks Azerbaijani Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov said Azerbaijan and Council of Europe have established a high level of cooperation. Regarding the fulfillment of obligations by Azerbaijan as a CE member, Alasgarov said that Azeri parliament has ratified over 40 documents, joined the European Conventions on Human Rights, the National Minorities, Prevention of Tortures and Social Charter. He said that Azerbaijan is observing freedom of speech and thought as well as assemblies.
He admitted that during a long period there were disagreements between Azerbaijan and CE concerning political prisoners. Aleskerov added that this question is currently at the stage of "its full settlement." He said 713 people from the list of 716 people submitted by human rights organizations and experts of CE General Secretary have been liberated.
The coming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan will become a test for democracy, and the authorities of Azerbaijan must prove that in fact they are ready to provide democracy, told Deputy Chairman of PACE Monitoring Committee Hanna Severinsen (Denmark) at a news conference held on the results of the PACE session.
After the meeting the OSCE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs, Andreas Herkel and Andreas Gross, made a tour of north-west regions to get familiar with the pre-election situation.
The registration of the candidates started 5 July. The elections commissions set up the admission of documents from people who nominated their candidacies for the parliamentary elections. The process will continue by 7 September. The registered candidates will carry out electioneering till 7 September. In accordance with the calendar plan of the CEC, the candidates are to complete the campaign within 24 hours of the commencement of voting - 8.00 hours on 5 November. The registration of observers has also started and it is to complete by 27 October. In accordance with the calendar plan, the district election commissions are to send the results of voting scheduled for on 6 November to the CEC within 2 days, while the CEC will adopt the results by 28 November. The Constitution Court of Azerbaijan will in its turn adopt the results of voting by 9 December. After, the parliament of the third convocation will start the plenary sessions.
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was on focus of discussions in annual meeting of the PA OSCE held in Washington from 30 June to 5 July. The meeting took a report on Nagorno-Karabakh by Goran Lennmarker, a co-rapporteur on Nagorno-Karabakh. Andjey Caspzyk, a special envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office also attended the hearings.
OSCE representatives mainly adhered to unbiased opinion that the problem should be resolved with consideration of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Sattar Safarov, the head of the Azerbaijani delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE. He was commenting on the results of the recent session of the PA OSCE which completed its work in Washington.
Touching upon the results of discussions on the report by special representative of PA OSCE on Nagorno Karabakh, a Swedish diplomat, Goran Lennmarker, Safarov noted that rotting on the issue continues behind the closed doors over 2 hours. It is interesting that Lenmarker’s report satisfied both sides.
Meanwhile the observers regarded moving away of the leader of the National Unity movement, Lala Shovkat, from the New Policy (YeS) election bloc as the sensation of the week. In the explanatory statement released on July 4, Lala Shovkat said that the establishment of the YeS is a consequence of the necessity to unite the opposition, given the dependence of solutions to the existing difficult, socioeconomic problems on the results of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received Heikki Talvitie, the European Union’s (EU) special envoy on South Caucasus, in Baku on Wednesday. Noting the positive processes that he witnessed in Azerbaijan, Talvitie said that Azerbaijan could become a model for some countries. He noted the EU’s support to democratization and readiness to assisting in some actions implemented in this direction.
Aliyev in his turn informed the EU envoy of the successes achieved in the political and economical spheres, as well as the steps taken in this direction. Aliyev stressed that his country takes active part in EU’s New Neighborhood Policy.
The same day Talvitie met with Ramil, the Interior Minister and Mazahir Panahov, the caiman of the CEC. The talks focused on the preparations for the elections and security of the candidates.
On 7 July Talvitie held a meeting with the heads of NGOs and later with the opposition leaders at the British embassy in Baku. In his address to a news conference organized in Baku the diplomatic voiced his satisfaction with the talks held in Azerbaijan. В"Azerbaijan is on the EU’s focus on the eve of the parliamentary elections. Azerbaijan has a great chance to prove its adherence to holding free and democratic elections and it ought to benefit it, “ Talvitie underlined.
Aftab Sherpao, the Pakistani Interior Minister, started an official visit to Azerbaijan on 7 July at the invitation of his Azeri counterpart Ramil Usubov, During the talks with Usubov stated Pakistan’s support to Azerbaijan, the same day he met with National Security Minister Eldar Mahmudov and discussed the combat of international terror extremism and different manifestations of organized crime, drug trafficking and illegal migration.
On 8 July Asim Mollazada, the chairman of the Democratic Reforms Party (DRP), held a meeting with Endrew Colbrone, the head of the Baku Office of the U.S. International Republicans Institute.
The talks with participation of the members of Political Board of the DRP, including Ilgar Husseynov, Eldar Jahangirov and Elman Agamirzayev, focused on the political and social situation in the country, preparations for the parliamentary elections and the ways of cooperation between the U.S. International Republicans Institute and the DRP.
The Council of Press (CP) set up a series of events dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the national press. Appropriate events with participation of CP members, representatives of the regional mass media and local executive bodies were held in Zardab on 5 July and in Yevlakh on 6 July. A conference �130th anniversary of the national press: the way passed and prospects’ was held in Zardab, the birth place of Hassanbay Zardabi, the founder of the Azerbaijani national press.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited electric power station in Agdash on 7 July.
Aliyev visited the newly opened production enterprises and delivered to a speech to public. He also visited the diary production factory and brick factory in Goychay, as well as juice extracting factory.
And the last, the opposition parties entering Azadlyg bloc staged a rally on 10 July in front of the State Film Fund (former Galaba cinema). The protestors demonstrated the same slogans вЂ" formation of elections commissions on parity basis (50% - power, 50% - opposition). Though the Musavat and PFPA promised a grandiose rally attracting 50,000 people, Baku Central Police Department reports their number did not exceed 5,000.