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Yevgeniya Jivkova: It would be too ambitious of me to say that I know enough with regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but I know that considerable parts of Azerbaijan are still occupied

12 November 2007 12:45 (UTC +04:00)

-Are you informed about Azerbaijan and main problem of the country â€“ Nagorno Karabakh conflict?

- Again, it would be too ambitious of me to say that I know enough with regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict but I do take into account that the respective Council of Europe Resolution holds that considerable parts of Azerbaijan are still occupied. This conflict is at the origin of more than four thousand missing persons and some 760 000 displaced persons from the Azerbaijani side. I intend also to study further the records of the OSCE in Vienna, where the two sides present their points of view regularly. I believe in the continuation of the high level dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia and share the CE Parliamentary Assemblyâ€™s view that the Azerbaijani authorities could prepare the population to accept the measures currently being negotiated and could encourage further contacts between Azerbaijani and Armenian civil society groups.

-Are you acquainted with obligations and commitments of Azerbaijan vis-Ã -vis CE?

-As to the situation with honouring by Azerbaijan of obligations and commitments, I would like, at this juncture, to merely say that the picture is one of mixed results. The Assembly is definitely cognizant of the efforts made by your country in a number of areas, such as the revision of the Election Code or the recently adopted National Action Plan for the Protection of Human Rights. On the other hand, the Assembly is concerned, for example, with the need to establish a dialogue between the ruling majority and the opposition both inside and outside the parliament. Let me be more specific when I ascertain the facts first hand.

-Do you contact with the other co-rapporteur-Andres Herkel? Do you share your opinions on the necessity of his appointment of special rapporteur on political prisoners in Azerbaijan?

-As I said in my speech when accepting the honour of being a Rapporteur on Azerbaijan on behalf of the Socialist Group, I intend to work closely with the Co-rapporteur, Mr. Andres Herkel, Estonia, from the Group of the European Peopleâ€™s Party. He has the privilege of having already served in this elected position and his experience is appreciated by the Monitoring Committee. On the specific point of appointing a special rapporteur on political prisoners, I should like to consult with Mr. Herkel further, and indeed, with other members of the Monitoring Committee, before I form a final opinion. This issue is too delicate to address it with haste.

-How do you assess media situation in Azerbaijan?

- Let me say that the concerns of the CE Parliamentary Assembly relating to media
pluralism and freedom of expression are too well known and recorded in the reports of the Monitoring Committee to neglect the problem. Of course, it is not for me to decide which side is right or wrong in a dispute on freedom of the media. I will keep a close eye on developments in this area in particular. Free and responsible media are one of the corner stones of European democracy.

-Will Azerbaijanâ€™s issue be debated in PACE January session?

-This is decided by the Bureau of the Assembly. I have not been informed about such a possibility.

-How do you assess level of relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria as parliamentarian of Bulgarian Parliament? What do you expect from Prime Minister Sergey Stanishevâ€™s visit to Baku?

- The co-operation between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan develops on the basis of traditionally good relations and the absence of political or other problems. We share the same foreign policy priorities. The political and economic stability of our two countries offers prospects for further development of the bilateral co-operation. What has been achieved in the past few years in the areas of high level political contacts, trade, educational and NGO exchange, etc., is a good start but it does not correspond to the existing potential both in terms of bilateral ties and European integration context. Bulgaria can offer its experience under the programmes of the European Neighborhood Policy. /APA/