"I believe Azerbaijan is at a turning point which will allow it to improve its relations with Europe and the Council of Europe," said Pedro Agramunt, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), ending a two-day state visit to Azerbaijan (29 February-1 March).
"From my high-level discussions, I sense the possibility of a wind of change as Azerbaijan faces up to a variety of challenges," said Mr Agramunt, who met the President, Speaker of Parliament and Foreign Minister, among others. "These challenges go beyond energy issues and human rights, and include the financial crisis and the need to attract foreign investors through the rule of law and transparency, all this in the context of the sensitive geopolitical situation that Azerbaijan finds itself in."
"I was encouraged by the frank and open discussions with my high-level interlocutors about a number of rule of law and human rights issues, which I was able to raise after having had the benefit of input from a number of NGOs, journalists, lawyers and also ambassadors based in Baku."
Ending his statement, Mr. Agramunt also highlighted that Azerbaijan continues to face the consequences of the deadlock over the conflict concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh region. "It is essential that solutions are found to the occupation of Nagorno-Karabkh and other regions of Azerbaijan. This conflict not only destabilises both Armenia and Azerbaijan, affecting their economies and their societies, but it also adversely affects the capacity of these countries to progress in the fields of democracy, human rights and the rule of law."
source: commonspace.eu with assembly.coe.int
