Azerbaijan, Baku, 1 February / Тrend corr. I. Alizade / There are PKK-related discontents in the Azerbaijani Parliament. The cause to the MP's discontent was that in the joint declaration signed between the Azerbaijani and Turkish Presidents in Baku on 7 November PKK was not marked as a terror organization.
The joint declaration was ratified by the Azerbaijani Parliament on 1 February.
"Actually, the joint declaration says nothing about recognition of PKK as a terror organization by Azerbaijan. Why Azerbaijan does not want to recognize PKK as a terror organization?" MP Igbal Agazade asked in the Parliament.
"PKK represents a serious threat not only to Turkey, but the entire region including Azerbaijan. No force or people engaged in lobbying PKK can prevent Azerbaijan from recognizing PKK as a terror organization. Even Abdullah Ojalan said during the trial that PKK is supported by Azerbaijan," Agazade said.
Agazade and another MP Jamil Hesmenli urged the Parliament to pass a declaration recognizing PKK as a terror organization.
An MP from the governing New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) Mubariz Gurbanli said that the Parliament cannot make changes or supplements in the joint declaration undersigned by the Azerbaijani and Turkish Presidents. According to Gurbanli, President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan recognizes PKK as a terror organization. NAP even made statements in this connection. "Therefore, the gossips that Azerbaijan does not recognize PKK as a terror organization are false," he said.
Despite opposition MPs asked for the floor, they were not allowed to speak. The Speaker put the joint declaration for ratification and the document was ratified.
Before the visit of the Turkish President Abdullah Gul to Baku, a special commission has been established under the chairmanship of Vice-Speaker Ziyafat Askarov to develop a declaration on recognition of PKK as a terror organization by Azerbaijan. It was said that the declaration signed by the two Presidents during Gul's visit mentions recognition of PKK as a terror organization by Azerbaijan. Therefore, after Gul's visit it was said that there were no necessity in passing a special declaration. The abovementioned commission stopped its activities.