Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr I. Alizadeh / The term of Azerbaijan's presidency in the South Caucasus Inter-Parliamentary Initiative Group has been extended, the head of Azerbaijani delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Initiative Group, a member of the Azerbaijani Permanent Parliamentary Commission on Security and Defence Issues, Siyavush Novruzov, reported in Baku on 4 June.
Novruzov noted that the meetings of the organization had been postponed due to parliamentary elections in Armenia. "The MPs in Armenia have to be issued mandates. The process has already begun. After the mandates are approved, the MPs of the South Caucasus Inter-Parliamentary Initiative Group will be defined. Only then will we continue the activities," Novruzov said.
He noted that organizing issues would mainly be discussed at the meeting. "Currently the organization is presided by Azerbaijan. After completion of the parliamentary elections in Armenia, the term will be once again extended and Azerbaijan will remain in office as Chairman. The presidency term will be one year," Novruzov added.
According to Novruzov, the presidium will assemble in the near future and determine the issues to be discussed at the regular meeting.
The South Caucasus Inter-Parliamentary Initiative Group was initiated by the British non-government organization of LINKS. The organization unites MPs from Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia (10 MPs from each country). Azerbaijan has been presiding over the Inter-Parliamentary Group since January 2007.