Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend S.Ilhamgizi / During the spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Many MPs who participated in the discussions on Kosovo were adamant that Kosovo could not be used as an example for the resolution of lingering conflicts in the post-Soviet area, according to the Assembly held in Madeira, Portugal, according to Ziyafat Asgarov, the Deputy Speaker of the Milli Majlis [Parliament] and also head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe.
He noted that the Armenian media expediently raised this issue. "The Armenians declared that by using Kosovo as an example, Nagorno-Karabakh will be given the same status. However, this is a completely different situation, because Nagorno-Karabakh is a territory of Azerbaijan. During the session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the MPs stated that using Kosovo as an example is unacceptable in other conflicts," he emphasized.
The NATO PA session also discussed the illegal growing of drugs in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh for export to Europe.
Asgarov voiced his satisfaction with the report on Azerbaijan, apart from some milestones. "The report indicated the poverty ratio on Azerbaijan at the level of 40%, whereas this figure is currently only 20%. The reporters themselves confessed that they had quoted last year's figure. Furthermore, the report mentions the hindrance in the activities of religious organizations active in the regions of country. "We must be reminded that there is a law on Freedom of Religious Beliefs in Azerbaijan and every religious section can function without any hindrance. Our country can be a model for other countries from the aspect of religious tolerance," the deputy speaker stressed.