Today the Council of State Support to NGOs under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan held a conference at Park Inn Hotel, devoted to the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Council of Europe. “Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe”, book published by the Council of State Support to NGOs has been presented to the public at the Conference.
Delivering an opening speech, Azay Guliyev, Member of the Milli Majlis, gave extensive information about the role of the Council of Europe in the international political arena and benefits for member-states, including Azerbaijan, from legal, economic and moral values adopted by this institution. He noted that reform of the legal-judicial system has been accomplished in the Republic of Azerbaijan as a member to the Council of Europe since 2001 and its legislative bases has been completely adapted to the standards of the Council of Europe. Touching problems of building civil society in Azerbaijan, Azay Guliyev stated that within last few years the Government of Azerbaijan has taken a number of serious steps for the growth and development of NGOs in the country and financed NGO projects and programs from the government budget. He stressed that decisive progress of Azerbaijan towards the European values and its success in this direction would be of a vital importance for future development of Azerbaijan.
Deputy to the Chairman of the Milli Majlis Bahar Muradova noted that “the protection of human rights and freedoms represents a priority for Azerbaijan”. Pointing out to the fact that Azerbaijan has made enormous successes towards democracy, she stressed on the importance for the Council of Europe to demonstrate more principal position on the Azerbaijani-Armenian, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “Azerbaijan has been in a state of war. The Council of Europe should certainly make maximum effort for the resolution of the problem. If this institution makes the needed effort, the fight with the separatism could bring more effects”, she said.
Welcoming close cooperation of Azerbaijan both with the Council of Europe and its members, Chingiz Asgerov, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the European Court of Human Rights, Veronika Kotek, Special Representative of the Council of Europe to Azerbaijan, Ali Bilge Cankorel, Head of the OSCE Office in Baku, Ali Huseynov, Chairman of the Committee on Legal Policy and State-Building, Bakhtiyar Aliyev, Member of the Milli Majlis, NGO leaders Ulker Abdullayev, Gulsel Safarova and Saadat Benanyarli noted that serious reforms have been taken by Azerbaijan for consolidation of democratic processes. It was mentioned that becoming member to the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan set integration to the European family and protection of human rights and freedoms as goals, and makes every effort to achieve a solution of regional problems by benefiting from the Council of Europe as an international tribunal. It was also stressed that both strategic position of Azerbaijan and its natural resources was vital for Europe and Azerbaijan, becoming member to the Council of Europe and known as a secular state, has already accomplished most of its commitments and obligations before the institution.
Commenting on “Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe”, book presented to the conference participants, employees of the Milli Majlis Adil Valiyev and Ruslan Ismayilov spoke on the cooperation of the Council of Europe with Azerbaijan in the recent years as well as issues touched in the book and its social-political importance. They expressed their gratitude to the Council of State Support to NGOs for fresh design and edition of the book.
Press Service
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