Natiq Djafarli: Jean-Claude Mignon makes it clear PACE to seek to improve human rights situation in Azerbaijan

Jean-Claude Mignon, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has concluded his visit to Azerbaijan, holding meetings with the authorities of the country and with representatives of the civil society. A number of human rights defenders expressed their scepticism about the position of the PACE's leader on the country's problems with human rights. However, according to the opinion of Natiq Djafarli, a representative of the movement "ReAL", the forthcoming chairmanship of Azerbaijan at the PACE will inevitably contribute to the removal by the authorities of existing human rights problems.

Six-month chairmanship at the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CE) is to be passed to Azerbaijan in May 2014.

Late in the evening of May 25, Jean-Claude Mignon arrived in Baku and held official meetings on May 26 and 27. He met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev, Elmar Mamedyarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oktai Asadov, Speaker of the National Assembly, representatives of political parties at the Parliament, members of the National Assembly Committee on international relations and inter-parliamentary relations. On May 27, he also met activists of the civil society. This morning, Jean-Claude Mignon leaves Baku for Tbilisi, and then he will visit Armenia that will be chairing the PACE during next six months.

Jean-Claude Mignon himself does not hold a press conference; during his visit, he twice made brief statements to the press and refrained from specific assessments of the problems criticized by local and international human rights organizations.

Upon arrival in Baku, at the capital airport, Jean-Claude Mignon told journalists that he intends to discuss the prospects of relations between the Council of Europe and Azerbaijan.

During another brief conversation with journalists, he has noted the economic and social achievements of Azerbaijan and the poverty reduction during several years from 50 to 6 percent of the population; however, he has pointed out that "there are areas where much work is to be done." Without going into details, Jean-Claude Mignon has only expressed willingness of the Council of Europe "to help, to share experiences in fighting against corruption and money laundering and in ensuring observation of human rights."