A: Next week Azerbaijan celebrates 100 years of statehood, what could you say about modern Azerbaijan?
Q: Of course this is an important date in the history of the state and I would like to extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes to people of Azerbaijan! In 1918 it was the first ever democratic state in the east, but unfortunately as other countries in south Caucasus this period was very short. Over the course of this century Azerbaijan had many achievements and successes, but also hardships and tragedies, but talking about modern Azerbaijan, it’s one of the most important countries in the region with huge economic potential, rich culture and people whose wish to live in modern democratic state and what is most important- in peace. After independence the peaceful development is one of the most challenging factors in the region, and in south Caucasus especially. I think this is the very visible constraint on the way to solve other problems in the country. When you see very strong economic build up in Azerbaijan in energy and transportation sectors, big infrastructure projects, rich cultural life, you could imagine how everything could be even faster and in larger scale without protracted conflicts and geopolitical games. I’d like to be optimistic and to wish more positive process, which will bring higher living standards and more secured democratic environment for the Azerbaijani people.
A: What’s your opinion on the co-operation OSCEPA and Azerbaijan?
Q: With Azerbaijan our organization has long and productive history of co-operation. Of course Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh always dominated over other issues during debates in our Assembly and we regret that this problem is still unresolved. But we keep on dialogue, confidence-building and believe that peaceful way is the only way to decide over such painful development. This is also one of the main principles of Helsinki Accords.
Azerbaijan is very well represented in the parliamentary assembly having place in the presidency, Azay Guliev being vice-president of the assembly, head of delegation Ms. Bahar Muradova is a very active member and all the representatives of Azerbaijan are participating in all activities of the organization, which we appreciate. By the initiative of Azerbaijan “Silk road support group” was established in the assembly and it’s very effective tool to foster the economic co-operation in the region. Very recently we organized international conference on the topic of “The role of Parliamentarians in boosting economic cooperation and cultural ties along the Silk Road,” hosted by the Milli Mejlis in Baku. We had intensive discussions about the importance of the increased connectivity, promoting solutions in areas such as transportation, energy security and cross-border co-operation. New projects alongside of the Silk Road could bring more prosperity and security to all participant countries. Azerbaijan plays a special role in this international project. For example, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which significantly reduces time and expenditures for trade and business from east to west. Presentations on how Azerbaijan develops ports and railways were very interesting and promising. All this with country’s energy potential is creating very positive ground for significant economic outcomes. Of course for desirable results country needs to accelerate reforms in financial and economic sectors, tackle corruption, establish rule of law, ensure democratic consolidation and secure human rights.
Q: OSCE, with it’s Parliamentary assembly and ODIHR is the leading organization for election observation in the world, election assessment in Azerbaijan always was the matter of disagreement between authorities and your organization, on the last presidential elections the final statement was quite critical, do you think to continue constructive co-operation in the future?
A: Well, the election observation is one of the main priorities of the parliamentary assembly. Every year in cooperation with ODIHR and also other credible organizations, we are observing election in number of countries of the OSCE region from Vancouver to Vladivostok and this is an important contribution for strengthening democracy in the world.
Our observers are going to oversight the process on long term and short term basis in countries with less or more established democracies, even in USA, UK, Germany, and Italy. As OSCEPA President, I highly value their important work. We are offering critical, objective analysis and recommendations on how to improve the process and how to make it transparent and free, with the main objective - to let citizens express their choice freely. This standard is everywhere, in Azerbaijan or any other country. I agree that in the preliminary statement there are number of critical issues, but at the same time our observers mentioned what they saw positive in the process. I don’t want to go into the details, because the statement is public and everybody could share this information. I would like to say that observation missions had in pre-election period good co-operation with the Azerbaijan authorities and this also reflected in conclusions, beside of shortcomings or criticism to the legal framework. Vice-President Guliev introduced arguments and questions of Azerbaijan side at the recent Bureau meeting in Copenhagen and we informed OSCE/ODHIR too. But the most important for me is that observation missions and the leadership of the OSCE expressed their willingness to continue work with the Azerbaijan government and society. I think this is a way to overcome difficulties and to ensure better standards in the election process and with this increase the level of democracy in the country. I personally very much appreciated the assistance of authorities for my visit to jailed journalists. We openly discussed this and other problems with the Azerbaijan leadership and I was happy to see one of the Journalists I visited, Aziz Orudjev, be freed by the decision of the court. But there are other cases and I am very optimistic that in the nearest future, courts will also reconsider them and President with Parliament will make decisions over amnesty.
Talking about the future co-operation with Azerbaijan I am confident that we have enough recourses for a constructive process. Of course we will continue to support Minsk group mediation efforts to achieve tangible results in peaceful solution of the Karabakh problem and also develop other avenues of co-operation with our expertise and tools. I hope in his new term President Ilham Aliyev and the renewed team will advance reforms which will make Azerbaijan stronger economically, with more transparent governance, with greater role of civil society and ensure peace. I am confident that for the stability, security and prosperity in the region Azerbaijan could play a significant role.
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