Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-12-17-Speech-4-280"
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"en.20091217.22.4-280"2
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"Mr President, Azerbaijan is important to the European Union as an energy producer and transit country, and also as a contributor to regional stability in the Southern Caucasus. Azerbaijan is one of the six partner countries under the Eastern Partnership, and we attach great importance to respect for the common values underpinning this relationship.
We are using assistance under the ENPI instrument. We provide targeted support under the comprehensive institution-building programme. This will have important elements related to the rule of law and independence of the judiciary.
Azerbaijan will also benefit from assistance under the European initiative for democracy and human rights.
Lastly, under the existing partnership and cooperation agreement, we are proposing to set up a subcommittee dedicated to justice, freedom and security, and human rights and democracy. This will constitute an important and additional forum for communicating our messages.
A partnership and cooperation agreement has been in place for 10 years. However, Azerbaijan has expressed its interest in building closer relations with the European Union by concluding an association agreement to replace it.
Following the decision of the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers in September to start preparations for concluding such agreements with the Southern Caucasus countries, discussions on the negotiation directives, including for Azerbaijan, are now ongoing.
In line with the Council’s decision, the start of negotiations for all the Southern Caucasus countries will be conditional on sufficient progress in meeting the necessary political conditions, namely the rule of law and respect for human rights, the principles of the market economy, as well as sustainable development and good governance.
Each year, we draw an in-depth and balanced assessment setting out progress made by each partner country to implement their action plans under the European Neighbourhood Policy. We have just started the preparatory work for the 2009 report.
I do not want to pre-empt our report but would like to make a few remarks, particularly on the situation regarding fundamental freedoms and human rights. In our 2008 report, we stated that ‘Azerbaijan has made good progress in economic development, but continues to show a poor record of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law’.
Since then, we have unfortunately seen some negative developments, including changes to the Constitution, the abolition of limits on the mandate of the Head of State, as well as the detention and subsequent condemnation of two bloggers.
Negative developments also include the continued persecution of human rights defenders, opposition activists and journalists, in addition to further deterioration of media freedom.
The European Union has, in its various contacts, taken up these issues at all levels with the authorities and will continue to do so. At the same time, the Commission is mobilising a wide range of tools to assist Azerbaijan to meet the challenges of a new agreement."@en1
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