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Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament: PACE may appoint ten rapporteurs, if they want

03 April 2009 12:12 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Elbrus Seyfullayev â€“ APA. The next sitting of Azerbaijani parliamentâ€™s spring session has started today, APA reports. Before discussing the issues on the agenda, the parliamentarians made speech on the current issues. MP Musa Guliyev said he had prepared the bill banning smoking in public places. He said he had sent the bill to the related bodies and presented the document to the head of parliamentâ€™s office Safa Mirzayev. Speaker Ogtay Asadov said they praised the issue. He said similar bills had also been submitted by other parliamentarians, the issue would be considered. MP Aynur Guliyeva offered to accelerate the process of erecting genocide monument in Azerbaijan. MP Vahid Ahmadov noted the importance of establishing museum in Guba mass burial cemetery.

MP Igbal Agazadeh offered to hold closed discussions on Karabakh problem in the parliament and inform parliamentarians about the current situation. Igbal Agazadeh noted that the people were concerned over the issue on opening of borders between Turkey and Armenia and said there was a need to clarify the issue.

Ogtay Asadov said women parliamentarians had been invited to Turkey, the issue would be discussed during their visit. Speaker noted that discussions on the opening of borders would also be held in Baku with participation of Turkish parliamentarians.
â€œI think that opening of borders will not be in favor of Azerbaijan,â€ he said.
MP Gudrat Hasanguliyev said opening of Turkey-Armenia borders was inadmissible.
â€œAzerbaijani and Turkish people protest against it,â€ he said.

MP Siyavush Novruzov said March 18 referendum was organized well in Azerbaijan. He regarded the oppositionâ€™s claims on violation of law as groundless.

Zahid Oruj said speaker of Turkish parliament should be invited to Azerbaijan and the issue on opening of borders with Armenia should be discussed. Zahid Oruj also said that the parliament should object to the appointment of PACE rapporteur on political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Ogtay Asadov said: â€œPACE may appoint ten rapporteurs, if they wantâ€.
â€œThey want to view the situation in the country after 2007, not only the issue of political prisoners,â€ he said.

Panah Huseyn noted that appointment of the rapporteur on political prisoners in Azerbaijan was the indicator of the situation in the country. He offered to release imprisoned journalists.

Following this, discussion of the issues on the agenda began.