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PACE President elucidated voting of proposal on political prisoners in Azerbaijan

26 June 2014 22:13 (UTC +04:00)

PACE President elucidated voting of proposal on political prisoners in Azerbaijan

Strasbourg. Fuad Gulubeyli-APA. "The issue of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is a priority for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. We also believe that the chairmanship of Azerbaijan to the Committee of Ministers of PACE is an opportunity to accelerate the process of democratic reform in the country", - PACE President Anne Brasseur said at a briefing for Azerbaijani journalists, organized in the summer session of PACE, APA’s European Bureau reports.

Head of Assembly also touched upon the relations with the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE: "Samad Seyidov sent me a letter in connection with the decision on political prisoners in Azerbaijan, adopted at the plenary session on Monday. In the letter he presented his views regarding his absence at the meeting. That morning the Bureau decided to submit the issue of political prisoners in Azerbaijan to the Monitoring Committee and the inclusion of this issue in the report of the co-rapporteurs on Azerbaijan. During the day, Mr. McNamara protested Bureau decision and insisted on this issue in the direction of the Human Rights Committee. According to our procedural rules, if someone makes a similar proposal, any other member of the right to contest it. However, I never saw him in the audience wishing to appeal the sentence. I even asked if wishing to appeal the sentence. No member of the audience expressed disagreement with the proposal of Mr. McNamara. Then I asked the opinion of the reporter. The question was then put to vote. I, as Speaker of the meeting should follow this procedure. Because my primary goal as chairman is to ensure compliance with procedural rules. In the Assembly, all issues should be addressed in a prescribed manner. My job as chairman, first and foremost, is to ensure compliance with the regulations and enforcement of the decision. That is, in such matters is my personal position plays no role and, in general, should not play. Chairman does not have any special privileges or any other advantage. His job is only to ensure compliance with the regulations."

E. Brasseur noted that in the second part of the meeting S.Seyidov accused her and Secretary General of the Assembly of manipulating the meeting: "I â€‹â€‹do not accept this accusation, since it is not manipulation, but only, compliance with regulations. One of the arguments of Mr. Seidov is his absence in the courtroom during the vote at a gala dinner. However, on Monday morning meeting was delayed a little longer than usual, but I note that the beginning of a formal dinner was scheduled at 13.00 does not, as alleged, and at 13.15. "

According E. Brasser, it is not clear dissatisfaction expressed in relation to this issue.