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PACE spring session starts

14 April 2008 09:36 (UTC +04:00)

APA European Bureau reports, Azerbaijani delegation to PACE has already arrived in Strasburg. The issue of democratic institutions in Armenia has been included in the sessionâ€™s agenda as an extraordinary issue. PACE session will discuss the issues of secure and legal abortions in Europe, efforts of the Muslim Communities against the extremism, assassination attempts among the children and teenagers in Europe and education of the European literature. Hearings on the situation in China on the eve of the Olympic Games will be held within the framework of the session. Chinese officials, representative of the Tibet religious leader Dalai-Lama and Human Rights defenders have also been invited to the hearings. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Slovakian President Ivan Gasparovic, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will be among the honorable guests. PACE discusses on Monday the elections in Armenia, Monaco, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro and hears the address of the Slovakian President. Election of judges, the issue directly interested Azerbaijan will be discussed on Tuesday. Samad Seyidov, head of Azerbaijani delegation to PACE spoke about the priorities of the session and stated that all issues on the agenda were of great importance for Azerbaijan.
â€œWe are anxious about tendencies in the Council of Europe. There are double standards on presidential elections in Armenia and unconstructive position on Azerbaijan will be stressed in the session. Nobody refuses that there are several problems in Azerbaijan. All countries face these problems in the transitional period. Such problems should not be exaggerated in Azerbaijan. We are ready for constructive dialogue, but constructiveness should be mutually. Why are the discussions normal with Venice Commission? The two sides are constructive. Azerbaijan should not accept unilateral relationsâ€, he said.
Seyidov added that the representatives of GUAM member countries would meet within the framework of the session and they would exchange views. Meeting of the Subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh depends on the participation of Lord Russell-Johnston in the session. He has health problem recently.
PACE session will end on April 18.