16 December 2004, 23:53
PACE will not discuss Azerbaijan political prisoners in winter
"The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will not consider the question of political prisoners in Azerbaijan during the winter session," Gulamgusein Alibeyli, a member of the Azerbaijan Delegation to the PACE said to the Caucasian Knot correspondent. The PACE will consider the question of political prisoners in Azerbaijan and the country's obligations to the Council of Europe during the spring session.
Political scientist Zardusht Alizade believes that the debates about David Atkinson's report will make no considerable change into negotiations for the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. "The Council of Europe has no real instruments of resolving this conflict. This organization can only pass a resolution, which will be a recommendation and have no real force," the political scientist said. Touching upon the problem of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, Mr Alizade noted that the question of political prisoners was no longer urgent for some international structures. "This question comes up from time to time when the West needs to obtain something from the Azerbaijan authorities. And as soon as it reaches its goal, it closes discussions on political prisoners," he added.
Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent
