International conference on parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan adopts resolution

A resolution was adopted at an international conference on parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. The resolution notes that the government should continue reforms.

"We welcome the decision by the President dated 2 April 2009 to submit relevant bills expert assessment to the Venice Commission," said the resolution of an international conference "Parliamentary Elections 2010: more democratic, more transparent", held on April 16.

The paper notes that the amendments to the Electoral Code meet some of the recommendations of the Venice Commission and are a positive step: "The ruling circles of Azerbaijan are recommended to cooperate with the Venice Commission in order to identify spheres where regular reforms are more needed and to improve the Electoral Code," the resolution says.

The conference calls upon all international organizations and institutions to fully support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan in accordance with the UN resolutions.

The paper says that the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a factor causing instability in the South Caucasus region, and the lack of resolution of the conflict hinders democratic reform in the country: "We look forward to the participation of all political parties in upcoming parliamentary elections. We call on the ruling circles of Azerbaijan to continue efforts to create the conditions necessary for conducting free and fair parliamentary elections, and with this, especially given the assessment of the Council of Europe on substantial progress in the presidential elections held in 2008, the elections can meet democratic standards," the resolution says.


/Trend/