Foreign

Baku. Gulshen Hajiyeva – APA. Head of the OSCE Office in Baku, Ambassador Ali Bilge Cankorel visited APA and met the agency’s management. APA correspondent interviewed with him.

- Are you satisfied with current level of Azerbaijan-OSCE relations?

- Everything good can be better. I am satisfied with the relationship between Azerbaijan and the OSCE because if the OSCE didn’t come to Azerbaijan, many things that we see today couldn’t exist. Azerbaijan is a country which has an opportunity to implement and to digest the norms and targets of the OSCE. These targets are not romantic or fantastic. There could be a country with lower opportunities and development and it would have formal relationship. But with Azerbaijan it is not so. The OSCE is very useful here. We are working together for a long time - 11 years. If the OSCE didn’t work here Azerbaijan couldn’t reach many achievements that it has today. From this point of view I am satisfied with the level of relations. But we can not achieve everything. This is not easy. The processes are developing slowly. It is important to change consciousness. But it is contrary to the characters of the people and realizes very slowly. We have to develop mutual, useful relations. We need to work patiently. Regarding the level of relations, if you mean the protocol level, it is very high. I have been working here for two years. During my mission here three OSCE chairpersons-in-office visited Azerbaijan – Greek, Kazakh and Lithuanian foreign ministers. The visits are organized every year, a lot of high-ranking delegations visit the country. Last year we welcomed the OSCE PA chairman in Azerbaijan. The next visit will be organized in the near future. The OSCE PA committee officials also visit the country frequently. Your mission in Vienna is working intensively. I am satisfied with the level of relations between Azerbaijan and the OSCE. The relationship is developing towards its targets and I believe its will reach those targets.

- What do you think about the fulfillment of Azerbaijan’s commitments before the OSCE?

- All of these issues need in time. If the OSCE was not here, many changes wouldn’t be made. I mean Azerbaijan adopted perfect laws. It is enormous work. It is not easy to implement it in 10-12 years. The problems are solved rapidly. But regarding the implementation of the laws, it is another question. The society is learning and the transition should take place. It is very important to implement the laws. The democracy is the supremacy of law, independence of the courts and execution of the court decisions because sometimes it becomes impossible to execute even the right decision of the courts. It is necessary to provide division of power, i.e. to secure independence of legislative, executive and judicial powers. These are fundamental principles of the democracy. It is easy to speak about them, but is difficult to implement. We face these difficulties in many countries, including the developed countries too. Much work has to be done in Azerbaijan in this field and the work is done and there are concrete results too. For example, it is important to adopt the law on prevention of domestic violence. I attach great importance to recent anti-corruption measures in the country. It should be developed. The corruption eliminates the competition and leads to monopoly in economy and politics as well. Such societies can not be developed. The corruption is a microbe and it is important to liquidate it. I am satisfied with these activities. I guess the issue of defamation will be solved in the near future. I would like to congratulate our office on it. Much work has been done. Other laws will also be adopted.

- What is your opinion about the uncoordinated actions?

- Kindly the actions will be held. The people should express their will. This is a form of the people’s expression of themselves. Regarding the protest actions in Azerbaijan, there was no violence by the participants of the actions. There were few people in the actions. It could be more, of course. For example, in Turkey, 30-40 thousand of people gathered in Taksim Square of Istanbul on May 1. There were football fans, rightists, leftists, communists among them. All of them marched together and expressed their ideas. The parties gather in the open air now, 10-15 thousand of people gather. These actions are a part of democracy. The people will take to the streets to express themselves.

- The authorities expressed protest against the statements by the OSCE, EU and other international organizations related to the rallies. What do you think about that?

- These statements were right. The government also didn’t protest so much, there were individual statements only. We are working under the mandate of the OSCE in this field. We also observe the actions and it is a part of our work. We are observing the actions from two points: first, we are watching from the point of democratic views to see what happens and second, we organize trainings, workshops for police not to use force. There was no protest against us. The protests were against some embassies. I think it is not correct to compare it with the processes in other countries. The diplomatic corps in Azerbaijan takes interest in these issues and shows good will, they have no secret purposes. It is necessary to create opportunities for 100-300 people to hold an action where they want. They demand little things. I think the country’s officials should be ready for a dialogue in this field. They need to meet with the organizers of the actions. They need to offer them places, which will satisfy them. An event held at the stadium far from the center of Baku is not an action. They want to be close to the crowd, so show their ideas not to each other, but to the crowd. The people can react negatively or positively. Baku authorities should incline to the dialogue.

- The opposition had not appointed new rally and made public that they were holding dialogue on new places with Baku City Executive Power. Do you participate in these dialogues?

- The opposition has been looking for such dialogue. But they were not responded positively. Previously the OSCE showed initiative to work together on this issue with BCEP during the elections. We delivered this initiative with the mediation of the FM. I personally met with head of BCEP, we wanted to establish the working group. But the positive results were not complete, the result satisfying the rally organizers were not achieved. This time I addressed with a new initiative. If the BCEP accepts it, may be it will be possible to simplify this process establishing the working group.

- Was there such initiative after these rallies?

- Yes, after the meetings, last week, we have not got a response. You know, the legislation doesn’t consider permission for the actions, it consider warning only. BCEP has no authority to allow or not allow the actions. This organization can not say “you can not hold an action”. As well as the BCEP must respond the appeals at least the three days before the actions. It means that the action participants can appeal to the court in 3 days, then the court can pass a decision whether this protest is accepted or not. In most cases the answers are given 1 or 2 day before the action, but not 3. In this case, the political parties can not appeal to the court. In this case, the parties appeal to the European Court on Human Rights, which declares their rights. It would be better to solve all of these issues via dialogue. In this case, it will be favorable for Azerbaijan both domestically and outside. This is my opinion. Article 5 of law on freedom of assembly is about the warning. There is a limitation in the 7th and 9th article, and there is no expression of prohibition. The question is not about the permission, but about the coordinated or uncoordinated rallies.

- The ambassadors including You, met with the Public Chamber. Who did propose this meeting?

- It was completely the Public Chamber’s proposal. We want to meet with those who want to meet with us as much as possible. The component part of the diplomats’ duties is to meet representatives of political movements, and the party leaders except the criminals. I have worked in many countries, in countries involved in civil wars. I told the presidents of those countries that “I will meet with opposition parties and fractions, this is my work”. Their responses were in the form “we will give you a plane to fly to the meeting”. The PC invited us and we met them. We meet with the ruling party too when it wants.

- Can you make public the details of the meeting?

- Of course, there was a statement for the press. They spoke about difficulties, argued on the issues of non-permission, sending to other places, there was no violence in the actions, the demand of reforms and etc. The ambassadors didn’t comment on this issue. Simply some ambassadors asked which programs the opposition parties had. The parties were told that they can not meet the people only with rallies, they have to submit concrete programs. We discussed these issues.

- You called for a dialogue, even a meeting was scheduled, but later was postponed. What can you say about it?

- Such a meeting was planned, but later was postponed. We continue working in this field. The conditions were not favorable, that’s why it was postponed, not cancelled. These meetings will be held one of these days. You know before the elections our office held a number of events. We intend to hold meetings for the dialogue of the parties.

- The issue on financing of political parties from the state budget is on the agenda. What are your proposals?

- It would be very efficient. We will attach special importance to this issue, hold meetings. A number of political parties do not have financial resources. Either a businessman supports a party, then it becomes a party of the businessman, or parties function basing on the aids of the citizens. In a number of countries, including Turkey parties are financed from the state budget. It is necessary to revive the politics.

- How will the criteria be determined? Which party will receive assistance, only the parties represented in the parliament, or all? What are your proposals?

- It should not be restricted to the parliament. It will mean to hinder the political processes beyond the parliament. The parties outside the parliament will not be able to continue functioning. To establish the club of the parties having seats in the parliament means to deprive the other of the right to exist. The organizations, which are in line with the known standards, should be financed. The political forces outside the parliament should also be taken into consideration. Of course, not all of them. For example, there are 53 political parties in Azerbaijan …

- … If it happens, their number will increase.

- Therefore, not all of them, but those meeting certain requirements should be financed. Otherwise, everybody will establish a party to get assistance from the state. It has its criteria like in other countries. For example, the percent of the votes gained in several elections, the number of the members, branches etc. can be taken into account.

- Freedom House released a report on the state of media in the world and Azerbaijan ranks 171st among 197 countries. How do you assess this report?

- Such reports are released from time to time. I can not say “They are always fully objective”. One may say 171st, the other 100th, 150th. It does not matter. We all know that there are both achievements and shortcomings. The parliament reacted to it. I think it is normal. It is very good that press representatives get financial assistance, but there are cases restricting the freedom of press. It is not right to deny both. For example, several press representatives are in prison. We know that they have been imprisoned for other reasons. But the international community has not been persuaded yet. I also see pressure on some press representatives. But on the other hand, we see newspapers, and even often come across strict critical remarks. The most important issue connected with the freedom of press in Azerbaijan concerns the quality of press and non-industrialization of press. Press is not an industry. Every press organization has its owner, either a political party, or some persons are named. Every press organization fulfills the function of spokesperson of somebody. But it is obliged to do so, because the sale of newspaper is not high, it does not bring profit. There are restrictions for commercials, it is not profitable, either. So, the newspaper business becomes formal. The problem of freedom is sourced from this. There is no competition, quality. Actually, there is no demand for quality. Whatever is written high-quality or low-quality will be published. Sometimes we can not believe something written about us. I do not know who believes a certain news article... There is no confidence. We can not be unjust, maybe there are a lot of true news articles among them. I support the government’s initiatives regarding journalists, measures taken to improve their material conditions, but they are not enough. Moreover, if these assistances are offered by the government the problem of serving the government arises in the end. Press should be industrialized, foreign investments should be involved. There were foreign radios in Azerbaijan. We do not see the achievements gained before, all this should be taken into consideration. Foreign investment and foreign media companies should be involved.

- Do OSCE officials plan to visit Azerbaijan in the near future?

- Next week will almost be the week of OSCE. OSCE and Press Council will hold a joint meeting. OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović will also attend the conference on May 11, proposals on defamation will be discussed at the event. OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou will visit Azerbaijan and meet with officials. There will be high-level contacts both with the authorities and opposition…

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