Tweet
EU CALLS ON AZERBAIJAN TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS AND TO FULFILL THEIR COMMITMENTS
13:00 04/04/2013 Â" SOCIETY
Azerbaijan should make efforts in holding democratic elections and
ensuring the human rights, the annual report, which assesses the
progress of Azerbaijan in the European Neighborhood Policy for 2012,
states. As the Azerbaijani news agency "Turan" reports, Head of the
EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Roland Kobia made a speech at a press
conference in Baku today and said that the report displays the trends
of partner countries on implementing commitments in the frameworks
of the ENP for 2012.
"We respect the independence and equal partnership, but there are
obligations that must be fulfilled," Kobia said.
"The EU will continue the cooperation with partners in the field of
democratic changes. In some partner countries there are concerns on
these issues and we will assist them in democracy," Kobia quoted the
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy
Catherine Ashton.
"The EU also attaches great importance to cooperation with civil
society. In some countries the civil society, the free movement of NGO
leaders meet obstacles, they are legally and administratively pursued,
obstructed the financial assistance. All this is unacceptable,"
Kobia quoted the EU Commissioner Å tefanFule.
Then Kobia went directly to the report on Azerbaijan. Noting the
positive macroeconomic indicators of Azerbaijan, he noted that the
corruption and monopoly continue hindering economic diversification
of the country.
He noted that the pardoning of opposition members arrested in spring
2011 became a positive step in Azerbaijan. Kobia stressed that
Azerbaijan needs progress in ensuring human rights and fundamental
freedom of the people, the electoral processes, ensuring the
independence of the justice system.
More progress is needed in the talks on conclusion of Association
Agreement and next week after a long break in Brussels talks on this
issue will be resumed. More progress is needed also in the fight
against corruption, Kobia noted.
As part of the recommendations of the EU called on Azerbaijan to comply
the PACE resolution requirements on commitments in human rights area,
adopted on January session at PACE. It is recommended to perform
the National Action Plan in this field, to pass a law on defamation,
improve the legislation on freedom of assembly, media, associations
and ensure their use, to investigate the facts of violence against
journalists and activists, to increase the independence of the justice
system, to ensure transparency and accountability in public expenditure
and the state budget in particular.
In regard to the Karabakh conflict is recommended to comply the
obligations in the framework of "Madrid principles", to ensure free
access of the EU representatives, including the Special Representative
for the South Caucasus to Nagorno-Karabakh, to take measures in
promoting the peaceful settlement atmosphere.
When asked about the possibility of EU joining the OSCE Minsk Group,
Kobia said that it was not discussed and formally they had not received
such proposals.
To the question of what would happen if Baku once again ignores the
EU recommendations, Kobia said that these are only guidelines and
the EU cannot impose them to independent states. EU proposals are
only recommendations, and have no coercive nature, he said.
Referring to the upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan,
Kobia noted that the EU is for the transparency and fairness of the
elections, and considers compliance of previous recommendations of
the ODIHR important.
Kobia refrained to comment on the arrests of activists of NIDA movement
in Azerbaijan referring to the fact of lacking of detailed information,
as he had just returned to Baku. However, the diplomat noted that,
in all cases, the EU calls for fair investigations in accordance with
international standards. The EU representatives monitor situation with
youth arrests, and clearly express their position, the diplomat said.
Kobia brought the example of the arrest of Ilgar Mamedov, the head
of the movement REAL, reminding the statements of the high-ranking
representatives of the EU. He also expressed regret for the fact that
Mammedov's arrest continued for another 2 months.
Source: Panorama.am
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
13:00 04/04/2013 Â" SOCIETY
Azerbaijan should make efforts in holding democratic elections and
ensuring the human rights, the annual report, which assesses the
progress of Azerbaijan in the European Neighborhood Policy for 2012,
states. As the Azerbaijani news agency "Turan" reports, Head of the
EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Roland Kobia made a speech at a press
conference in Baku today and said that the report displays the trends
of partner countries on implementing commitments in the frameworks
of the ENP for 2012.
"We respect the independence and equal partnership, but there are
obligations that must be fulfilled," Kobia said.
"The EU will continue the cooperation with partners in the field of
democratic changes. In some partner countries there are concerns on
these issues and we will assist them in democracy," Kobia quoted the
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy
Catherine Ashton.
"The EU also attaches great importance to cooperation with civil
society. In some countries the civil society, the free movement of NGO
leaders meet obstacles, they are legally and administratively pursued,
obstructed the financial assistance. All this is unacceptable,"
Kobia quoted the EU Commissioner Å tefanFule.
Then Kobia went directly to the report on Azerbaijan. Noting the
positive macroeconomic indicators of Azerbaijan, he noted that the
corruption and monopoly continue hindering economic diversification
of the country.
He noted that the pardoning of opposition members arrested in spring
2011 became a positive step in Azerbaijan. Kobia stressed that
Azerbaijan needs progress in ensuring human rights and fundamental
freedom of the people, the electoral processes, ensuring the
independence of the justice system.
More progress is needed in the talks on conclusion of Association
Agreement and next week after a long break in Brussels talks on this
issue will be resumed. More progress is needed also in the fight
against corruption, Kobia noted.
As part of the recommendations of the EU called on Azerbaijan to comply
the PACE resolution requirements on commitments in human rights area,
adopted on January session at PACE. It is recommended to perform
the National Action Plan in this field, to pass a law on defamation,
improve the legislation on freedom of assembly, media, associations
and ensure their use, to investigate the facts of violence against
journalists and activists, to increase the independence of the justice
system, to ensure transparency and accountability in public expenditure
and the state budget in particular.
In regard to the Karabakh conflict is recommended to comply the
obligations in the framework of "Madrid principles", to ensure free
access of the EU representatives, including the Special Representative
for the South Caucasus to Nagorno-Karabakh, to take measures in
promoting the peaceful settlement atmosphere.
When asked about the possibility of EU joining the OSCE Minsk Group,
Kobia said that it was not discussed and formally they had not received
such proposals.
To the question of what would happen if Baku once again ignores the
EU recommendations, Kobia said that these are only guidelines and
the EU cannot impose them to independent states. EU proposals are
only recommendations, and have no coercive nature, he said.
Referring to the upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan,
Kobia noted that the EU is for the transparency and fairness of the
elections, and considers compliance of previous recommendations of
the ODIHR important.
Kobia refrained to comment on the arrests of activists of NIDA movement
in Azerbaijan referring to the fact of lacking of detailed information,
as he had just returned to Baku. However, the diplomat noted that,
in all cases, the EU calls for fair investigations in accordance with
international standards. The EU representatives monitor situation with
youth arrests, and clearly express their position, the diplomat said.
Kobia brought the example of the arrest of Ilgar Mamedov, the head
of the movement REAL, reminding the statements of the high-ranking
representatives of the EU. He also expressed regret for the fact that
Mammedov's arrest continued for another 2 months.
Source: Panorama.am
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress