Head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Samad Seyidov’s interview with APA


- What case of necessity forced the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to establish the subcommittee for learning the conflicts and what will its activity cover?

-The subcommittee was established for special researches and investigations to prevent the conflicts between the member countries and its growing to the war after the Georgia-Russia conflict. Its necessity was seriously raised in PACE and in its January session, the bureau decided to establish the special subcommittee to prevent the conflicts between the member countries. British parliamentarian David Wilshire was appointed the chairman of the subcommittee. It will determine its concrete activity in the April session. According to the rule of the Council of Europe, the subcommittees hold their meetings within the PACE sessions because it is difficult to hold the meetings in the intersession period. Of course, we will follow the subcommittee’s activity, when it will begin in the April session and if it is necessary we will actively participate in its work.

- Will the subcommittee address the Nagorno Karabakh problem? PACE already has its subcommittee for Nagorno Karabakh.

-Of course, anyway issues on Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be discussed. There will be relations between this subcommittee and the subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh. We support this. We are ready to help the committee so that the subcommittee can organize its activity normally and properly.

- David Wilshire said the subcommittee will hold various meetings in connection with the conflicts. Will any event on Nagorno Karabakh be held?

-As I have said, there is no concrete, con firmed action plan. But various meetings, talks and conferences are held when a subcommittee is set up. This is their style. The working principle of subcommittees is to hold roundtables, conferences and other events. Nagorno Karabakh conflict has been discussed in PACE several times, conference on the “frozen conflicts” was held in Berlin last year. Earlier, heads of Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations and members of the subcommittee had talks in the subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh.

- Will anyone from Azerbaijani delegation be elected to the new subcommittee?

-Every PACE member can participate in the work of subcommittees when important issues, problems arise. Only one PACE committee - Monitoring Committee holds closed meetings. The meetings of other committees are open. Subcommittees do not hold closed meetings at all and everyone, who is interested, can participate in its work. There is no limit here.
Baku. Lachin Sultanova–APA