Azernews.Az

OSCE chair Eamon Gilmore has said it was important for Azerbaijan to adopt and swiftly enforce a libel law, noting that it is the only country in South Caucasus that has not yet passed such legislation.

The statement came in Gilmore`s meeting with Azerbaijani parliament`s deputy speaker Bahar Muradova in Baku last Thursday.

Muradova, in turn, said work and public hearings on the law On Defamation were underway in Azerbaijan.

``Azerbaijan has enough political will to adopt this law. However, in 25 member states of the Council of Europe, such a law has not been adopted either, and we wonder why they have not done any work in this regard,`` Muradova added.

Gilmore, in his remarks, also said the OSCE was expecting an invitation to observe the next presidential election in Azerbaijan, which will be held in 2013.

Gilmore expressed hope that the achievements made during the elections held so far will be repeated at the upcoming vote.

Muradova said this invitation will definitely be extended.

She said that Azerbaijan will invite all international observers to the election and ensure suitable conditions for their normal observation.

She added, ``Differences of opinion among organizations that monitor elections always worry Azerbaijan, therefore, serious work should be done to form a single electoral monitoring system.``