Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The Azerbaijani Parliament has slammed a biased resolution against Azerbaijan adopted by the European Parliament on September 10.

The parliament has held an extraordinary session on September 14 to discuss the latest EP resolution.

Parliamentary Speaker Ogtay Asadov said Azerbaijan has repeatedly witnessed the adoption of biased resolutions by the European Parliament against the country, stressing this time the EP has crossed all permissible limits.

“We watched a meeting of the European Parliament in a live broadcast, and saw how prejudiced the MPs were against Azerbaijan. Information on the meeting was clearly falsified,” he said.

Asadov stressed that Azerbaijan's cooperation with international organizations should be revised and participation in international organizations should be reconsidered.

“I think that it is necessary to address the Cabinet of Ministers on the revision of Azerbaijan's participation in the EU’s ‘Eastern Partnership’ program,” he said, noting the gross violation of procedural rules in the European Parliament.

Asadov stressed that during the EP session, the chairman of the foreign relations committee of the European Parliament decisively stated that the violation of procedural rules at the meeting is unacceptable.

“In the first place, these issues should be discussed in the committees, after which a meeting may be held, and otherwise we can lose Azerbaijan,” Asadov quoted chairman as saying.

“However, members George Sebastian and Francois Slifinsi opposed changing the course of the meeting, saying that the matter should be discussed and approved today. Later, after studying the situation, it became clear that both deputies were in Nagorno-Karabakh and met with head of the separatist regime of this occupied region, Bako Sahakyan, on September 1. Apparently, they fulfill his instructions, and show such eagerness in exchange for gifts. This very moment is an example of how corruption works in the European Parliament,” Asadov said.

He called on European Parliament President Martin Schulz to stop cooperation with lobby groups mired in corruption.

Asadov also noted that in fact, the adoption of this resolution was a big blow to the image of the European Parliament.

One of the objectives of the EP resolution is the isolation of Azerbaijan from Europe and damaging its image, and thus, weakening the country's position in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, according to the speaker.

In the meantime, MP Samad Seyidov said the hasty adoption of the resolution on the eve of Azerbaijani parliamentary elections contained many errors and damaged the EP’s credibility.

He noted that the biased EP resolution should be thoroughly discussed in the parliament.

"I condemn the provocation against Azerbaijan and offer to give them a decent answer," Seyidov said.

Seyidov stated that from now on, no resolution can be taken seriously "because they have taken such a step against an independent, sovereign and democratic state."

"Azerbaijan is able to liberate the occupied territories without the help of the Minsk Group and other organizations. Azerbaijan is developing and living independently, so all that frightens them," he added.

The MP noted that Azerbaijan, teaming up with the healthy forces in the European Parliament, should stop participating in the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.

“Azerbaijan will not swerve from the path of democracy,” he added.

Following the discussion, the parliament took a decision regarding the resolution of the European Parliament.

The EP's resolution on Azerbaijan shows that the campaign of discrediting Azerbaijan is extremely offensive, according the decision.

The document noted that after the European Parliament new staff started its activity in September 2014, the cooperation with Azerbaijan failed due to the leadership of the European Parliament, adding that the chairman of the EP unofficially imposed a ban on MEPs’ visits to Azerbaijan.

It is stressed that the requirements made in the resolution against Azerbaijan have no legal basis.

--

Sara Rajabova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SaraRajabova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz