Azernews.Az

Democratic development topped the agenda of an international conference held in Baku last Wednesday.
The event, "For democracy and stability: new opportunities of cooperation", was held on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the nationwide leader, former president Heydar Aliyev, and attended by representatives of numerous countries, including the United States, Germany, Belgium, Turkey, and Russia.
Germany's former secretary of state, Otto Hauser, said in his opening remarks that democracy was advancing step by step in Azerbaijan after the country gained independence. Azerbaijan is now receiving international assistance to further its democratic development.
Susan Turnbull, Vice Chair of the US Democratic National Committee (DNC) and political activist, said no nation "is born with democracy".
"But no matter what nation it is, there should be democracy in its country," she said.
The senior Democrat said this required elections to be fair and transparent and the media to be free.
"An open and fair electoral process, the mechanism of control over the government, the rule of law and effective judiciary should be in place."
The U.S. expert said the importance of free media was particularly sensed during the election year.
"Independent media is extremely important from the standpoint of civil participation in the elections and conveying the outcomes of the poll to everyone."
Turnbull said suitable conditions should be provided in any country for people to seek a better life. "In democratic governance, the views of all citizens must count, and democratic institutions are key for this."
Vice-Speaker of the Milli Majlis (parliament), Valeh Alasgarov, said he did not fully agree with the DNC representative. He said that to achieve a country's development, stability should be accomplished first, followed by economic development, and then democracy, as chaos emerges if democracy is established first.
As for media freedom, Alasgarov said he was in favor of free media, but on the condition that only professionals have a say.
"I accept what you said with these conditions, and I am confident that along with economic development, democracy will develop in Azerbaijan more swiftly than in other countries," the vice-speaker said.
About 60 delegates from 30 countries as well as Chief-of-Staff of the President's Office Ramiz Mehdiyev and Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Ali Ahmadov attended the conference.