“This resolution which denies the ECHR judgment is an empty and unnecessary piece of paper”

Discussions at PACE showed that this organization has many internal problems, which mean an actual crisis of the Council of Europe and its existence being under a big question, Samad Seyidov, head of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, told while commenting on the resolution the organization adopted on Tuesday about Azerbaijan and criticism from PACE President Ann Brasseur.

Seyidov said PACE had always acted in compliance with decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) but denied the court’s judgment on the case “Chiragov and others v. Armenia” on Tuesday.

“As a matter of fact, the Azerbaijani delegation was struggling yesterday for European values and human rights, while PACE and its backers, especially the Armenian lobby and the assembly’s president were acting against the decisions of Europe and ECHR. It’s a funny paradox,” he added.

Seyidov said despite all this, the discussions held and documents adopted will not have a negative impact on Azerbaijan.

“The document adopted yesterday is an empty and unnecessary piece of paper. It was done by the PACE itself. With this document, the PACE put the functioning of the ECHR under question. And from now on, European countries will ignore the ECHR decisions. If the Council of Europe itself ignores the ECHR decisions, why do countries have to fulfill these decisions? The Armenian lobby and anti-Azerbaijani forces are ready to take any steps and even to destroy themselves in order to underestimate the ongoing developments in Azerbaijan,” he noted.

The ongoing civil war in Armenia was not included in the session’s agenda, he said, adding about 300 people were arrested in a day as they protested against the government.

“However, no one in the PACE, except the Azerbaijani delegation, raised an issue in this regard. This is another evidence of the aforesaid,” the delegation head stressed.

Seyidov said the only positive result of the resolution is that their hypocrisy and double standards were revealed more clearly.

“It’s enough. That is how I concluded my speech. Enough! It is completely a biased attitude. How can it be possible that those who protect some people’s rights do not say a word about our hostages held in Nagorno-Karabakh? How can it be possible that they do not talk about the Azerbaijanis, exposed to aggression and killed in Armenian-occupied territories? Hence, the human rights and values have already become a means of pressure against Azerbaijan. The resolution doesn’t fit into any values. Maybe they will wiser in the future, but their current steps are completely contrary to these values”, Seyidov completed.

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