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EURONEST PA vice president: â€œAzerbaijani delegation will make efforts to achieve adoption of decisions and resolutions in EURONEST PA concerning the solution of Nagorno Karabakh conflictâ€ â€“ INTERVIEW

05 May 2011 09:29 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Interview with Elkhan Suleymanov, vice president of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly (founded in Brussels on May 2-3), chairman of the Azerbaijani delegation and member of the parliament

- Please give details about the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly at first.

- The Eastern Partnership initiative, which considers establishing the integrated format of cooperation between EU and the countries joined the European Neighborhood Policy (Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus), was put forward by Poland and Sweden at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on May 26, 2008. Joint Declaration determining the goals and principles, as well as common parameters of future cooperation process was adopted at the summit in Prague on May 7, 2009.

Within the framework of the Eastern Partnership process, it was considered to establish the Parliamentary Assembly, which will work as an institution of the European Parliament and consist of the representatives of the European Parliament and the parliaments of the partner countries and this institution was named as EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly. This is a joint assembly between EU and its eastern partners. It will be based on the mutual interests and commitments, principles of differentiation, divided property and responsibility.

According to the procedure rules, EURONEST PA consists of 60 members of European Parliament, 10 MPs of every partner country. Subject to observe the membership criteria reflected in the Legislative Act, the participation in the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly is voluntary.

Besides the plenary composition, the Parliamentary Assembly was organized consisting of Bureau, permanent committees, working groups and secretary. The committees on Political Issues, Human Rights and Democracy, Economic Integration, Legal Approach, Energy Security, 4 permanent committees like Committee on Culture and Civil Society, Social Issues, Education, two working groups on Belarus and Rules and Procedures were established. The working group on Belarus will study in the future this countryâ€™s perspectives for EURONEST PA membership. The working group was organized consisting of 5 persons and member of Azerbaijani delegation Asim Mollazadeh was elected a member to this group. The composition of working group on the Rules and Procedures was decided to form at the next meeting.

Besides, president of the EURONEST PA, his deputies, including Bureau and Committee members were elected. Azerbaijani delegation achieved great attainments during the formation of this groupâ€™s management organs. Thus, during these elections, Fuad Muradov was elected the chairman of Energy Security Committee, Azay Guliyev as a deputy chairman of committee on Social Issues, Education, Culture and Civil Society, Asim Mollazadeh as a deputy chairman of Political Issues, Human Rights and Democracy Committee. I was elected vice-president of EURONEST PA and Bureau member.

- What are the main goals of EURONEST PA?

- The goals of the Parliamentary Assembly have been confirmed in the procedural rules and cover the following four thematic platforms:

- The main values, â€œfrozenâ€ conflicts, democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and freedoms, market economy, sustainable development and good governance issues;

- Further economic integration supporting socio-economic reforms between the EU and eastern partners, liberalization of trade and investment environment, leading to the similarity with the EU laws and standards aiming to create free trade zones network;

-Mutual energy support, coordination of security mechanisms and partnersâ€™ energy policies and legislation;

-Improvement of relations among the peoples of various countries, facilitation of mutual contacts between the European Union and citizens, especially young people of the partner countries; improvement of cultural cooperation and intercultural dialogue, supporting the development of education, research, information and media society.

This European institution is a new platform to inform the world community about the ongoing developments in Azerbaijan and offers opportunities to discuss on the international level the issues that are interesting for our country. As shown in the documents of EURONEST PA, this institution will hold discussions on the â€œfrozenâ€ conflicts in the territories of the partner countries, pass decisions and resolutions. This issue is of special importance for Azerbaijan. Of course Azerbaijani delegation will make efforts to achieve adoption of decisions and resolutions in EURONEST PA concerning the solution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict basing on the norms of the international law and within the framework of Azerbaijanâ€™s territorial integrity.