Day.Az interview with co-rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Azerbaijan, MP from Malta Joseph Debono Grech.
Last week you attended international conference “Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan in 2010: More democratic, more transparent.” What are your expectations from the upcoming elections in Azerbaijan?
I think that these elections should be better. It was very gratifying to see most of the leaders of political parties at this conference. They talked openly about what they want. Now everything depends on international organizations how to help these parties to reach what they ask. In my opinion, this conference has become a very good start. The Council of Europe and the OSCE can provide every assistance to advance this process.
However, in my view, the problem is that Azerbaijan have a lot of political parties. This leads to a lot of opinions. I do not mean that there should be two or three parties. A variety of political palette is good for democracy. But too many parties are not very good in terms of elections.
Azerbaijan accuses the Council of Europe of notorious policy of double standards in assessing the human rights situation in the republic while PACE criticizes neighboring Armenia less despite the fact that, for example, the last presidential elections saw mass violence and loss of a few people. What is the reason for such an approach?
I agree with you. As you know, I was appointed to the PACE rapporteur post just recently. I do not agree that each report should be so negative. There are both negative and positive aspects in every country.
I can say that my native country Malta passed a similar path in 1970s and 1980s, a period when the Council of Europe was against us, and all because of the speakers who were giving negative information about my country. Our countries also have similar history. Malta, like Azerbaijan, once was part of empire. Therefore, I can understand your problem more other members of the Council of Europe.
Baku argues that the Council of Europe, pointing to a need to improve human rights in Azerbaijan, should first think about rights of 1 million Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons that have been breached for over 20 years and take efforts to resolve the Karabakh conflict…
Yes, this problem must be solved. These are double standards, because there are UN Security Council resolutions, the resolutions of the Council of Europe, but nobody is concerned about it. I am concerned about this issue. The Council of Europe is also concerned.
I hope that international community will help you solve this problem. I can give you my personal support. I am a new co-rapporteur, but I think that Azerbaijan has succeeded. There are problems in any country, but in general the situation is encouraging. No one can talk about the elections in Azerbaijan … This is an internal matter. In this respect, we can help Azerbaijan, which is still a very young democracy, since it is only 20 years of age. This is not so much. But for this short path you have done a great job. I can promise you my support.
/Today.Az/
