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Council of Europe does not urge Azerbaijan to postpone referendum: Presidential Administration Department head

Politics Materials 3 March 2009 12:18 (UTC +04:00)
Council of Europe does not urge Azerbaijan to postpone referendum: Presidential Administration Department head

Azerbaijan, Baku, March 3 / Trend , J.Babayeva/

The Council of Europe has not urged Azerbaijan to suspend the referendum to amend the Constitution, Presidential Administration Political and Public Affairs Department Chief Ali Hasanov told journalists.

Azerbaijan cooperates with the Council of Europe Venice Commission and considers the commission's views on legal issues.

"A referendum is a domestic issue and does not contradict European standards," Hasanov said.

On March 2, the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities urged Azerbaijan to cancel the referendum to amend the Constitution. The bureau suggested that the government wait until the commission issues its position on the proposed amendments.

Azerbaijan will hold a referendum on March 18 to amend 29 articles of the Constitution.

"A referendum is not an object for international monitoring. This is a domestic affair in every country," Hasanov said.

The OSCE mission monitors parliamentary and presidential elections, he added.

However, Azerbaijan invited representatives of authority European international organizations to monitor the referendum.

"If other international organizations will apply to the government to monitor the referendum, then we will create all the necessary conditions for them," Hasanov said.

A referendum initiative campaign was launched on Feb. 18 in Azerbaijan. The campaign will end on March 16. 

The Public Television station allocated free airtime to the initiative groups on Saturdays at 06:15-07:45 and the Public Radio station on Wednesdays at 08:15-09:45.  

The Central Election Commission (CEC) registered the New Azerbaijan, City, Progress, Law and Democracy, Republicans, Republic and Movement for Karabakh and Civil Society initiative groups. The Prosperous Village, Free Speech, Azerbaijan People's Republic and National Independence groups were not registered.

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