Follow-up meeting on the implementation of the framework convention for the protection of national minorities held in Baku

The seminar presided by Hidayet Orujov, State counsellor on work with National Minorities and Religious Associations focused on general assessment of the situation on national minorities. Informing about the goal of the follow-up, H.Orujov spoke about the assessment of the achievements on the implementation of the framework convention, implementation of the decisions of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention and fulfillment of the results of the Convention in this direction. Three main areas were examined during the meeting, in the presence of responsible authorities, minority associations, NGOs as well as international organizations. Implementation of the principles of non-discrimination and effective participation of persons belonging to minorities in public and socio-economic life, use of minority languages in public and private life, including the media, rights of persons belonging to minorities in the field of education were discussed.

Asbrojn Eide, president of the Advisory Committee on Framework Convention of Council of Europe delivered a report on the main findings of the Advisory Committee’s on Framework Convention expressed his satisfaction of the hold of such a follow-up meeting in the period when Azerbaijani government cooperates with the Council of Europe.

A.Eide underlining the protection of the minorities is the part of human rights, said of this document to be legal international cooperation field that provides favorable conditions for friendship relations among European nations.

The president of the Committee also added that, the government demonstrated its readiness to conduct a dialogue in this field. He emphasized that the follow-up meeting was a proof to the continuation of the dialogue.

Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova noted that every national minorities living in our country are rendered legal assistance.

Chingiz Asadov, head of department in charge of National Minority issues in the Ministry of Interior stated that struggle are held against the forces trying to arouse extremist opinions among the religious minorities and the national minorities will always be respected. The problems the national minorities face and measures implemented in this field were touched on in the follow-up meeting.

Head of Kurd Culture Center Kamil Hasanov underlined that all of national minorities have some problems and this will be removed after the resolution of the Nagorno Garabagh conflict. Demanding the Council of Europe representatives to take urgent measures for the solution of the Nagorno Garabagh problem, K.Hasanov stressed that the solution of the problem of national minorities begins from here. H.Hasanov said representatives of Talish people are not right in dissatisfying 4 representatives of Talish people are members of the parliament. Head of Mountainous Jewish community Semyon Ikhilov and representatives of other national minorities made speech in the meeting.

/APA/