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Elkhan Suleymanov: â€œMembers of Azerbaijani friendship group at the European Parliament increases continuouslyâ€ - INTERVIEW

Elkhan Suleymanov: â€œMembers of Azerbaijani friendship group at the European Parliament increases continuouslyâ€ - <font color=red>INTERVIEW</font>

23 August 2012 11:31 (UTC +04:00)

- A group of European parliamentarians made a statement on Azerbaijan in July. As for you, what source of need to the adoption of such statement?

- A group of members of the Azerbaijani Parliamentâ€™s delegation to the Euronest PA visited Brussels on June 18-20. The visit aimed to hold discussions on the resolution of the European Parliament on Azerbaijan issued on May 24, 2012, the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as the situation in the South Caucasus. Therefore, the members of the Azerbaijani Parliament held 33 private meetings with the members of the European Parliament, 4 fraction meetings with the members of political groups represented in the European Parliament and 2 working meetings and participated in the conference on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in Subcommittee of the European Parliament. I must note that properly the main subjects of the discussions were about the significant role of Azerbaijan in energy security of Europe, withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the Azerbaijanâ€™s occupied territories and condition of Azerbaijani IDPs. During the discussions, the European parliamentarians have repeatedly noted that bilateral visits promote understanding of Azerbaijani realities in Europe. The European politicians underlined the importance of deepening of relations and extension of the cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union. I would like to note that the visit was realized on the initiative of the Azerbaijani delegation to Euronest PA and aimed to become familiar with the European Parliament and exchange of information. During the visit, the sides had opportunities to discuss issues, which caused concern, and perspective issues in informal, open and sincere condition.

At last, a group of members of the European Parliament consisting of 52 persons made a statement in support of Azerbaijan early July, as a result of the visit of the Azerbaijani delegation.

- Please brief us about the essence of the statement of the European Parliamentâ€™s members on Azerbaijan.

- Stressing the importance of the relations between Azerbaijan and European Union on their statement, European Parliamentâ€™s members noted that they welcome the development of the relations of trade and energy supply, as well as the cooperation in the field of democracy, defense of the human rights and security in foreign European region. It was noted that Azerbaijan is one of the main neighbors of the European Union and we know that it covers more its orientation as the close partner and friend to EU after the session of AVRONEST Parliament Assembly held in Baku in 2012.
Members of the European Parliament noted on their statements that they intend to strengthen the cooperation between EU and Azerbaijan and EU should play an important role in the mediation of the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Members of the European Parliament highlighted that this open challenge is constant threat to the regional stability, prolongation of the problems of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons and violation of international law.

- The declaration talked about the activity of Azerbaijani friendship group within the European Parliament. We ask to comment on this issue too.

- Yes the declaration signed by the European parliamentarians says that there is a need for the intensification of the activity of Azerbaijan friendship group within the European Parliament. I should note that the members of Azerbaijan friendship group are well-known European politicians. The number of Azerbaijan friendship groupâ€™s members is increasing. I would like to know the deputies who are the members of the friendship group usually work for holding events about the country, in the direction of spreading information and formation of warm relations toward the country.

- As the head of Azerbaijani delegation to Euronest PA, what can you say about the action plan of this organization till the end of the year?

- The seminar of experts on energy security issues of EURONEST PA Energy Security Committee will be held in Brussels on September 19-20, 2012. The representatives of Azerbaijani delegation, who are the members of Energy Security Committee, Fuad Muradov, Rasim Musabeyov, Gulchokhra Mammadova will participate in the above mentioned seminar. The meeting of working group on procedure rules will be held in Strasburg on September 12. The meeting of Belarus working group will be held on October 7-11 in Brussels, but the joint workshop of EURONEST PA and the Conference of the Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) will be held on October 11. Member of Parliament Asim Mollazadeh will attend both meetings. At last, Bureau meeting will be held in Moldovaâ€™s capital Chisinau in the middle of November and I will participate in this meeting as a member of the Bureau. At the same time I also wanted to utter that international seminar â€œThe role of constitutional courts of the Eastern Partnership countries in coordinating their national legislations with â€œAcquis Communautaireâ€ within the cooperation with the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (TAIEX) will be held in Georgiaâ€™s Batumi city on September 21-22. The chairmen of constitutional courts and judges, financial ministers and members of parliament of Eastern Partnership countries, including the members of Venice Commission, the chairmen and judges of European constitutional courts, the representatives of Georgian government, academic and political institutions will participate in the seminar. I want to stress that the chairman of Georgian Constitutional Court George Papuashvilli sent a letter and asked the Azerbaijani delegation to EURONEST PA to participate in the above mentioned seminar. The chairman of the Law Policy and State Building Committee of the Azerbaijani Parliament, member of Azerbaijani delegation to EURONEST PA Ali Huseynli will also attend the seminar. The work on the issues put into the seminarâ€™s agenda is being continued and the agenda itself hasnâ€™t been formed yet.