MILAN CABRNOCH EXPRESSES HIS DEEP CONCERN ABOUT AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT’S DECISION TO PARDON SAFAROV
armradio.am
06.09.2012 18:24
The European Union-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (PCC)
Co-Chair Milan Cabrnoch released a statement on Ramil Safarov release,
which reads, in part:
“In my capacity as Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation to
the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation
Committees, I express my deep concern about the Azerbaijani President’s
decision to pardon Ramil Safarov, who was supposed to serve a life
sentence for brutally murdering Gurgen Margaryan, an Armenian military
officer, in Hungary in 2004.
For a number of years, the Members of our Delegation have redoubled
their efforts in order to contribute to the improvement of relations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan through the parliamentary dialogue and,
most recently, also through the Euronest PA.
Moreover, we have intensified the bilateral contacts with Armenia
and Azerbaijan, by making use of the instruments of parliamentary
diplomacy, in the hope to reduce regional tensions, promote
reconciliation and contribute to finding a viable solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Our Delegation has made it clear to its Armenian and Azerbaijani
counterparts that respect for human rights, the rule of law and
European values should always be at the heart of their European
integration aspirations. In this context, the decision of Mr Aliyev
might be seen as a dangerous misuse of judicial proceedings.
I urge the authorities of Azerbaijan to show their commitment to the
values I mentioned and strongly encourage Azerbaijan and Armenia to
remain engaged in a reconciliation process.”