Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-10-26-Speech-3-316"
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"en.20051026.21.3-316"2
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".
Commissioner, after listening to your introductory remarks, I found it hard to believe that you would go on to talk about Azerbaijan. Even one hundred years ago, Azerbaijan was an incredibly rich country by reputation alone, although Baku was and continues to be one of the world’s leading centres of oil production. It is well known that the Azerbaijani people are extraordinarily poor, in spite of the country’s abundant natural resources. Hundreds of thousands of refugees driven from their homes during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are still living in refugee camps in Azerbaijan. Furthermore, the state of democracy in the country is amply illustrated by the fact that I once heard a famous explorer call it a khanate. Nevertheless, the short-term goal must be democratic elections.
All of our deliberations on this issue must be guided primarily by the resolutions adopted by Parliament and the interparliamentary delegation since 1999. It should not be forgotten that the countries of the Caucasus are part of Europe. It is therefore crucial that relations with Azerbaijan be stepped up, and that this should take place on the basis of the EU’s fundamental democratic values. In particular, minimum standards should be applied in social and environmental matters. In the run-up to the democratic elections, it is of fundamental importance that the climate be conducive to opposition parties and politicians. Access to the media and the freedom of association are equally important, and the safeguarding of these rights must involve more than merely issuing the appropriate legal and regulatory standards. I find it somewhat surprising that recital L of the resolution refers to the talks on Nagorno-Karabakh, yet makes no mention of the presence of government representatives from Stepanakert.
I should like to conclude by expressing my support for the motion for a resolution. I am well aware of how complex the situation is in the South Caucasus, and thus understand that it is far from easy to make progress in terms of democratic standards at a time when the threat of extremist attacks is ever-present. At the same time, however, basic principles and procedures must not be abandoned during electoral campaigns and elections to legislative bodies conducted in accordance with OSCE standards."@en1
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