27/09/2021 | 19:41:20 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Eventful several more months which in fact seemed longer, have been left behind. In such a short period of time so many serious events have happened that it seems that a year has passed, and not several months. Of course, the Council of Europe did not remain indifferent to many of these important events, regularly commented on them, had a direct impact on some dvelopments and this political palette has been reflected with certain contours in... 24/06/2021 | 10:26:44 Thank you, Chair. Dear colleagues, Time that is moving forward has changed dramatically the concept of diaspora and, accordingly, the diaspora policy of countries over the past 50 years. This is especially true for a number of newly independent states, primarily post-Soviet states and peoples. I am well aware of the important role of global political processes in the life of the diaspora in the example of my country Azerbaijan, as a person who has studied this problem for decades and has... 21/06/2021 | 12:43:54 Thank you, Madam President. Dear colleagues, the last two years will be a difficult test in the history of the Council of Europe, as well as in the life of the whole world. Now, when we think about the next progress report, it is a fact that the Council of Europe is successfully passing this test. It did not lose its balance, it quickly adapted to the conditions of the pandemic period and even at this historical stage gained new experience to more effectively build its activities in the... 22/04/2021 | 12:15:12 Thank you, Chair. Dear colleagues, In recent years, one of the topics of our constant debates in the Assembly has been the need for radical reforms in the Council of Europe, the importance of renewal, the urgency of getting rid of traditional shortcomings and diseases. Unfortunately, the main shortcomings that need to be corrected remain the same and we continue to move forward with the same gait. The utmost diseases to be treated — double standards, non-objectivity, ordered speeches, biased... 22/04/2021 | 09:42:54 Thank you, President. Dear Minister, Over the past 20 years we have constantly asked the Committee of Ministers about the fate of 1 million Azerbaijani IDPs, displaced from the territories occupied by Armenia. Azerbaijan finally had liberated its occupied territories. Unfortunately, one occupation gave way to another. Armenia completely destroyed about 20% of the territory of Azerbaijan, which it has been controlling for almost 30 years. However, this was not enough. All these areas have been... 20/04/2021 | 17:39:33 Dear colleagues, During the first Karabakh war over 4 000 persons disappeared from Azerbaijan. They are captives and hostages. Armenia did not return any of them. During the last Karabakh war Azerbaijan returned the bodies of 1,500 soldiers to Armenia. On November 10 2020 a trilateral agreement was signed and hostilities were officially ended. According to the agreements the exchange of prisoners was carried out according to the principle "all for all". Azerbaijan handed over 44 prisoners to... 28/01/2021 | 13:32:46 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Many of you are aware of these and similar substances: acrolein, acetaldehyde, diethylamine, ethyl formate. Anyone with knowledge of such liquids, gases and substances knows that they must be handled with extreme care. Many of them can catch fire not only in the heat, but also in subzero temperatures. There are also aspects of social life that we need to be careful and sensitive about, such as substances that ignite so quickly. Because they... 27/01/2021 | 18:47:56 Thank you chair. Dear colleagues, It is a well known truth that many NGOs operate in each of the participating countries, and the number of these organisations is constantly growing as well as their scope of activity is expanding. Many of their problems are similar regardless of the country in which they operate, but of course there are many differences depending on the country situation. Currently the number of NGOs in my country, Azerbaijan, is about 4 500. However, due to the new... 25/01/2021 | 13:20:16 Today is a historic day in many respects. Above all, this is a historic day, because after a sad break in the year, we are finally together in Strasbourg again and gathered again in this hall which is native to us. The main thing that makes this day historic for me and the Azerbaijani delegation is the event that happened here exactly 20 years ago. On 25 January 2001, the flag of Azerbaijan was added to the list of flags in front of the building of the Council of Europe, and, as equal members... 30/01/2020 | 12:09:13 Thank you, Chair. Dear colleagues, Next time the Parliamentary Assembly is discussing the report directly related to Azerbaijan it will, willingly or not, prompt us to think again about various aspects of the relations between the Council of Europe and this country. The Council of Europe has been raising the issue of political prisoners for over 20 years and, therefore, takes this issue very seriously. What is the so-far most satisfactory scientific explanation of the term political prisoners...