PACE fails to respect principles of dialogue, cooperation in its resolution on Azerbaijan TURKPA chief sends letter to PACE chairman

On February 19, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) Mehmet Sureya Er sent a letter to the Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Theodoros Roussopoulos.

The Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan told Trend that in a letter congratulating Theodoros Roussopoulos on his election as PACE Chairman, the Secretary General of TURKPA wished him success in his activities in this post.

The letter states that at a time when parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue are becoming increasingly important, interparliamentary organisations serve as an important platform for building bridges between countries and peoples.

The letter, which highly appreciates the constructive dialogue between parliamentarians around the world, also expresses concern over the non-approval of the powers of the Azerbaijani delegation to the PACE.

It is noted that the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as one of the founding members of TURKPA, plays an important role in promoting the principles of dialogue and cooperation in the Turkic world and beyond. The successful chairmanship of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Non-Aligned Movement and its achievements, the establishment of the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement on the initiative of Azerbaijan and its transformation into an effective platform for interparliamentary dialogue at the international level in the shortest possible time are testimony to Azerbaijan's significant efforts to solve problems of a global scale. Azerbaijan is an important player in the preservation of cultural diversity and in the promotion of dialogue between cultures and civilisations.

According to the letter, Azerbaijan, which joined the Council of Europe in 2001, has contributed through its efforts and cooperation to safeguarding the fundamental principles of the Organisation. The letter states that against the background of growing political tension and new global challenges, parliaments and multilateral institutions like PACE should play a more important role in creating an atmosphere of dialogue and cooperation, and in that context, the continued participation of Azerbaijan's delegation in the work of PACE will be important in maintaining a constructive and full dialogue among all parliamentarians.

The letter concludes with the belief that on the basis of the above, the PACE resolution, which does not correspond to the principles of dialogue and cooperation, will be reconsidered and the activity of the Azerbaijani delegation in the PACE will be restored.