Menu
Latest
Menu
Latest
News

Azerbaijan Deputy Foregin Minister argues against Azerbaijan leaving Council of Europe

27 October 2017

The future of Azerbaijan as a member of the Council of Europe is currently a matter of discussion in both Strasbourg and Baku. 

In the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and in the organisations Committee of Ministers, Azerbaijan has been criticised for failing to adhere with some of the Council of Europe's criteria, and of not implementing decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. Informally, there have been suggestions that Azerbaijan's membership of the Council or the Parliamentary Assembly may be suspended.

read more here

In Baku, there have been accusations of a campaign against Azerbaijan in European circles, and some have suggested that Azerbaijan should leave the Council of Europe unilaterally.

Azerbaijan's veteran deputy Foreign Minister Mahmoud Mammedguliev, who is also responsible for relations with the European Union, has stepped into the discussion with an exclusive interview carried on the influential web portal Haqqin.az, arguing against leaving, and reminding of some of the history of the relations between Azerbaijan and the Council.   

"I do not think that Azerbaijan's withdrawal from the Council of Europe is the right idea. Despite double standards and injustice towards Azerbaijan, I believe that we must remain in this organisation and continue to defend our position".

Mahmud Mammadguliyev noted that even before Azerbaijan joined the Council of Europe as a full member, he headed the Azerbaijani delegation in this structure for many years.

"The late Heydar Aliyev attached great importance to relations with the Council of Europe. It was on his instructions that we held long negotiations on joining this organisation. I do not think that simply because there are several anti-Azerbaijani elements, we should surrender our positions". Referring to recent statements by Council of Europe Secretary-General, Jagland, Mahmud Mammadguliev said he was not the entire organization. "Today he is there, tomorrow he will not be. But in the Council of Europe there are 47 states, with which Azerbaijan has established excellent relations".

According to Deputy Minister, Azerbaijan has the same rights in the Council of Europe as all the other members.

"We entered this organization voluntarily and consciously. My position is that we must remain in it and defend our positions. No one can interfere with the activities of Azerbaijan in the Council of Europe", he said.

source: commonspace.eu with haqqin.az

photo: Azerbaijan Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammedguliev

 

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged
Trending

Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

9 June 2021
Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.
Editor's choice
News
A new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean
Trending

A new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean

14 May 2024
A ground breaking meeting between the President of Turkiye, Recip Tayip Erdogan, and Greek Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on Monday (13 May) is being hailed as the dawn of a new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean. Mitsotakis was in Ankara as the guest of the Turkish leader. There are no unsolvable problems between Athens and Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, as he and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis praised the state of relations between the two neighbors while pledging to further enhance bilateral ties. "We had a constructive and positive meeting and discussed problems in Türkiye-Greece relations; We will solve problems through dialogue," Erdoğan said at a joint news conference with Mitsotakis. Erdoğan said that Ankara and Athens are committed to resolving issues via "cordial dialogue, good neighborly ties, and international law" as outlined in last year's Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighborliness. Improvement of bilateral relations with Türkiye is yielding concrete and positive results, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said "I can only begin by thanking you for the warm hospitality today in Ankara, it was a fourth meeting in the last 10 months, which I believe proves that the two neighbors can now establish this approach of mutual understanding, no longer as some exception, but as a productive normality that is not negated by the known differences in our positions," Mitsotakis said. He said bilateral relations have been progressing, as agreed by the parties, on three levels: political dialogue, positive agenda and confidence-building measures. "I believe that it is a positive development in a difficult time for international peace, but also for the broader stability in our region," the Greek leader said.

Popular

Editor's choice
News
A new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean
Trending

A new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean

14 May 2024
A ground breaking meeting between the President of Turkiye, Recip Tayip Erdogan, and Greek Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on Monday (13 May) is being hailed as the dawn of a new era of peace in the Eastern Mediterranean. Mitsotakis was in Ankara as the guest of the Turkish leader. There are no unsolvable problems between Athens and Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, as he and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis praised the state of relations between the two neighbors while pledging to further enhance bilateral ties. "We had a constructive and positive meeting and discussed problems in Türkiye-Greece relations; We will solve problems through dialogue," Erdoğan said at a joint news conference with Mitsotakis. Erdoğan said that Ankara and Athens are committed to resolving issues via "cordial dialogue, good neighborly ties, and international law" as outlined in last year's Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighborliness. Improvement of bilateral relations with Türkiye is yielding concrete and positive results, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said "I can only begin by thanking you for the warm hospitality today in Ankara, it was a fourth meeting in the last 10 months, which I believe proves that the two neighbors can now establish this approach of mutual understanding, no longer as some exception, but as a productive normality that is not negated by the known differences in our positions," Mitsotakis said. He said bilateral relations have been progressing, as agreed by the parties, on three levels: political dialogue, positive agenda and confidence-building measures. "I believe that it is a positive development in a difficult time for international peace, but also for the broader stability in our region," the Greek leader said.