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European Parliament: European parliament and Azerbaijan have common values

Politics Materials 20 May 2011 17:24 (UTC +04:00)
The European parliament and Azerbaijan have common values, including democracy and valuing human rights.
European Parliament: European parliament and Azerbaijan have common values

Azerbaijan, Baku, May 20 / Trend M. Aliyev /

The European parliament and Azerbaijan have common values, including democracy and valuing human rights.

"But we are concerned about some issues of human rights, freedom of assembly and freedom of speech," European Parliamentary President Jerzy Buzek told media.

"The Azerbaijani parliament and the European parliament have good prospects for development within Euronest," Buzek said. "We must expand our cooperation in the economic sphere."

Regarding a critical resolution on human rights and democracy on Azerbaijan recently adopted by the European parliament, Buzek said Azerbaijan has made obligations to the European parliament and the adopted resolution was associated with this agreement.

"We have never demanded from Azerbaijan more than the commitments that the country has taken itself," he said.

During his visit to Baku this week, Buzek meets with Azerbaijani Speaker Oktay Asadov, and representatives of civil society and opposition parties.

Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Buzek said the European parliament supports Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

"The situation in the region is unfavorable," he said. "We are ready to support in resolving the frozen conflicts, but as the European Parliament, we more focus on human rights and freedom of speech."

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

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