OSCEs Parlamentariske Forsamling 2013-14
OSCE Alm.del Bilag 44
Offentligt
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Unofficial translation
To my OSCE PA colleagues
The 23
rd
Annual Session of the OSCE PA has already been completed. All of you have
returned to your homes and countries safe and sound and have already been relieved
from your physical fatigue. In fact, for some of you traveling to Azerbaijan was an
inherent part of your post-leisure time and touristic journey very much needed after a
long parliamentary year. For us – the Azerbaijanis hosting this session, it was a great
pleasure to provide assistance to all of you. It was also a very good opportunity for the
traders and businessmen in Azerbaijan.
However, this is not what I intend to write. All we share the same opinion that during
this trip the issues we discussed and decisions we adopted and their follow-up
implementation are of great importance for every parliamentarian. Of course, every day
and minute of the intensive working week we spent together was a vivid proof of it.
At the same time, I am convinced that during this visit to Azerbaijan some saw a country
not known to them before, or some had wrong perceptions about, while others visited a
country which was very familiar and close to them (in all meanings of the word).
The way how humanism and core values of mankind and society are close to
Azerbaijanis, so everything you have seen here should also be so close to your hearts
and easily understandable.
And though each of us has his/her own language, own history, and own culture, all of us
share a common history, culture, and language, – history of humanism, culture of
mankind and language of democracy.
To my mind, a communication on this basis shall be easy for everyone; a world based on
these values shall be safe for every one of us, and the rights and laws emerged thereby
shall be supreme for each of us.
The Baku discussions have confirmed this reality for many of us. Though the national
interests of our states prevailed in our decisions, positions and thoughts, we tried to at
least express it within the framework of the OSCE region. Though we spoke very openly
for the sake of objectiveness, we made decisions in the spirit of respecting the opinion of
the majority, even if in some cases it was unjust.
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What drew my attention were the thoughts of some of my colleagues that did not fit into
any boundaries; I could not remain indifferent to that, and had to respond as much as I
could within the ethic norms and timeframe allocated to me. Nevertheless, I know for
sure that not once did I lose my sense of justice and I invited our friends to speak
logically. Being the host also played an important role in this. I should say that it is a
holy feeling for Azerbaijanis. It makes us treat even our most violent enemies in a
respectful manner. I take pride in this quality being an integral part of our national
values.
You have already returned back to your homes and I am speaking with you as a
colleague.
We had a great, tense and interesting discussion around a very important issue. In fact
this issue, “Helsinki +40” and violation of its principles, has left its mark on all our
discussions that we have conducted during the recent years. I want to ask you a few
questions just to think about.
- What do you think, are these principles acceptable for everyone in the OSCE
region?
Have they been used for the same purposes in all times and all cases?
Do we all, as countries and individuals, demonstrate a correct position?
Are we able to always be fair?
Personally I have been further convinced of the contrary during these days. For
instance: 1. To what extent was Mr Alan Neri right, a member of the French
delegation, Vice-President of the OSCE PA and my friend, when he, grossly
breaching the procedures of the OSCE PA, voted instead of his colleague who had
visited Nagorno-Karabakh in an illegal manner without the due permission of the
authorities of Azerbaijan and thereby was denied the entry visa to Azerbaijan?
Although the Azerbaijani MPs and I considered him to be an objective
parliamentarian and voted for him in all elections for we believed that he would
fight for the protection of the OSCE values and rules. Apparently, we were
mistaken. Starting from the very first moment, not only did he fail to make a right
conclusion out of it, but also showed that he did not refrain from violating
demonstratively the rules of procedure of the OSCE PA for the sake of the
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interests of his colleague, forgetting thereby that Nagorno-Karabakh is an integral
part of Azerbaijan.
What can you say about the OSCE PA Vice-President’s actions? Was he right in
doing so?
2. The same attitude was demonstrated by my Danish colleague Karsten Lauritzen
in his speech delivered on the last day of the session.
Referring to the visa denial for the above mentioned person he also spoke of a ban
on holding OSCE PA meetings in our country in the future.
Unlike Alan Neri, I do not remember this MP making statements on any issue and
demonstrating a principal position. If he nominated his candidacy to any post,
neither I, nor my colleagues, or even to my mind the majority of you would have
voted for this person as we did not know him and were not aware which values
might be his preference. Socrates, who we all know very well, has said: “Speak so
that I may see you”.
I think that those who have not lost their sense of justice could see him very well.
Here I want to ask you another question.
Don’t you think that Azerbaijan is right to apply a visa ban to persons who openly
violate its boundaries, border rules and sovereignty, to those serving the interests
of Armenia which has occupied 20% of the territory of Azerbaijan (Nagorno-
Karabakh and 7 adjacent regions) and violated all 10 principles of the Helsinki
Final Act and supporting a separatist regime with this occupation and trying to
achieve its acceptance and recognition in the world?
Taking into account that on these grounds we apply the ban only to different
individuals, then the question is, what do you think of the statements calling to put
a ban on holding international events in Azerbaijan just because of a visa denial
for one person (even if he is a member of the French Parliament) violating the
borders (There is a civil and constructive way of solving this problem – that
person could simply write to the relevant authorities of Azerbaijan). Doesn’t it
mean to punish the state of Azerbaijan and its people because of one person?
And yet, who will restore the violated rights of one million Azerbaijani citizens?
Or at least are you ready to recognize these rights?
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You are demanding a visa for a French MP to allow him to freely move in the
OSCE region. This is in the hands of the Government of Azerbaijan. A visa can be
issued for him with no obstacle if he applies to the relevant authorities according
to the established rules.
And who will give the permission to one million Azerbaijani citizens including
myself – Bahar Avaz qizi Muradova, an IDP from the Fizuli region adjacent to
Nagorno-Karabakh, Deputy Speaker of the Milli Majlis (parliament) of the
Republic of Azerbaijan, the Head of the national delegation to the OSCE PA – not
just to visit the countries in the OSCE region, but to return to my homeland Fizuli,
to Karabakh – which is an integral part of Azerbaijan?
Would you like to answer this question of your colleague, whom you know and
who is calling for the equal protection of the rights of both ethnic Azerbaijanis
and the Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian origin, who have become the minor
hostage of the idea of “Greater Armenia” and are suffering from economic and
social difficulties in Nagorno-Karabakh?
I invite all of you to think about it and look forward to getting an answer from my
friend Alan Neri and my Danish colleague, whom I have just been acquainted
with.
Sincerely,
Bahar Muradova,
Deputy Speaker of the Milli Mejlis (Parliament)
of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
Head of the Delegation of Azerbaijan
to the OSCE PA