COUNCIL CONSEIL OF EUROPE DE L'EUROPE Committee of Ministers Ministers’ Deputies CM Documents
CM(2000)148(Restricted) 12 October 2000
726Meeting, 18 October 2000 2 Political questions
2.3 Applications for membership by Armenia and Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly Opinions No. 221 and 222 Exchange of letters between the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan
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Letter from the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan
6 October 2000
Dear Minister,
I am writing to you in the context of Azerbaijan’s application to become a member of the Council of Europe, which has been discussed with you on several occasions, in particular, during the visit by Mr Umberto Ranieri, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Italy representing the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers to Baku on 14 June 2000.
Several days later, on 28 June 2000, it was my pleasure to note the vote by the Parliamentary Assembly in favour of Azerbaijan’s accession, as well as eloquent address by the Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan. Mr Aleskerov confirmed in particular Azerbaijan’s unflagging will and desire for pluralist democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights.
The Committee of Ministers expects that the Government of Azerbaijan will formally and actively undertake to meet all the commitments reflected in paragraph 14 of Opinion No. 222 (2000) of the Parliamentary Assembly. The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, as well as the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe, are prepared to co-operate with Azerbaijan for the fulfilment of its obligations.
The Committee of Ministers places particular emphasis on the importance of the preparation and proper conduct of the general elections scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan on 5 November 2000 so that - with the full participation of the main opposition parties - they can be considered as free and fair.
In addition, the Committee of Ministers expects that the Government of Azerbaijan will continue its efforts to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by peaceful means, notably through regular meetings of Heads of States and in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Process. The Council of Europe is ready to support Azerbaijan in this effort, in particular, by putting at the disposal of the Azerbaijani authorities its experience for solutions in similar cases.
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Mr Vilayat GULIYEV Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Baku With the ongoing co-operation programmes in mind, the Committee of Ministers invites the Azerbaijani Government for further discussions with the Council of Europe on ways to strengthen and accelerate these programmes. The Committee of Ministers feels that priority areas for additional common efforts are the functioning of democratic institutions including local self-government, the judiciary, situation in the penitentiary system and the liberation of political detainees, the media and other human rights issues in general, and further development of civil society. In this context, the Committee of Ministers welcomes the recent decision to liberate 64 political detainees.
The Committee of Ministers plans to resume consideration of the invitation to Azerbaijan to become a member of the Council of Europe at one of its forthcoming meetings. Consequently, I would welcome your confirmation that the Government of Azerbaijan commits itself to respond positively to the expectations by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. I look forward to the pleasure of meeting you again in the near future.
Yours sincerely,
(signed) Lamberto DINI Minister for Foreign Affairs of Italy Letter from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan to the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers
AZ8RBAYCAN RESPUBLiKASI XARiCi IÇL8R NAZ'lRLiYi
REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
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Dear Minister,
I acquainted myself with your letter with great attention and pleasure. I hope that taking into account significant achievements made on the way towards democratic pluralism, rule of law and protection of human rights, the Committee of Ministers will adopt at its forthcoming meeting a positive decision on the issue of granting to the Republic of Azerbaijan the full member status in the Council of Europe.
With regard to the issues raised in your letter I would like to once again confirm with full responsibility that the Republic of Azerbaijan is faithful to the commitments undertaken before the Council of Europe. In thç meantime, I would like to stress that the Republic of Azerbaijan has already started implementation of the commitments, included in the Opinion 222 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
As you are aware, Azerbaijan has already joined 14 conventions of the Council of Europe and was the first state in the region to have abolished the death penalty back on February 10, 1998. Abolition of the press censorship on August 16, 1998 constituted next important step on the way of democratic reforms. During the most recent years necessary measures have been undertaken in order to solve problems in the sphere of freedom of expression. The human rights, as well as the rights of national and other minorities are well respected in Azerbaijan.
His Excellency Mr.Lamberto DINI Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Italian Republic