BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 1. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) shows signs of becoming a tool manipulated by certain forces, said Chairman of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova during her speech at today's session of the parliament, Trend reports.
Gafarova highlighted that, as previously stated, the decision to stop the Azerbaijani delegation's activities in PACE was made in response to the so-called "accusations" lodged against Azerbaijan.
The MP noted that certain European forces are adamantly opposed to Azerbaijan's complete restoration of territorial integrity and sovereignty.
"These forces pose a severe danger to peacekeeping efforts. Unfortunately, PACE is showing signs of becoming a weapon used by the forces. I believe the genuine motives behind the political actions in PACE against Azerbaijan are widely known, reflecting injustice, partiality, bias, and double standards. The issue lies in certain European forces being unable to acknowledge the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty achieved through the Second Karabakh War and local anti-terrorist measures conducted by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Karabakh last September," she said.
"The concerning aspect is the refusal by some to accept the new reality in the South Caucasus, coupled with the encouragement of Armenian revanchism, posing a significant threat to the endeavors to establish enduring peace and stability in the region. Regrettably, PACE, despite its professed commitment to democratic values, appears to be evolving into a tool manipulated by forces pursuing their narrow political interests," the MP added.
"The recent incident, which has negatively impacted the reputation of both the Parliamentary Assembly and the Council of Europe as a whole, highlights the challenge of characterizing this organization as a current platform for dialogue and cooperation where respect for the views of all its members prevails," Gafarova said.
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