The Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic States (TURKPA) Mehmet Süreyya Er sent a letter on 19 February to the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Theodoros Rousopoulos.

In his letter, the Secretary General of the TURKPA extends congratulations to Theodoros Rousopoulos on his election as the PACE President and wishes him success in his activities.

Further, it is pointed out in the letter that Inter-parliamentary organisations serve as essential platforms helping to build bridges between countries and peoples, particularly at the time when parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue have gained even more importance today. Praising the constructive and genuine among parliamentarians from around the world as a parliamentary dimension of the Turkic co-operation, Mr Er, at the same time, shares the concern of the TURKPA over the adoption of the resolution by the PACE regarding the non-ratification of the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation.

‘The Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) expresses its deep regret over the adoption of this resolution. As one of the founding members of TURKPA, the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan plays a crucial role in promoting the principles of dialogue and co-operation in the Turkic world and beyond,’ the letter reads.

‘The Successful chairmanship of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Non-Aligned Movement and its achievements, establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network at the initiative of Azerbaijan and the fact that the Network has become an efficient platform for inter-parliamentary dialogue at the international level in a short period of time testifies to the considerable efforts of Azerbaijan for addressing the issues of global scale. Azerbaijan has been playing a prominent role in preserving cultural diversity and promotion of dialogue among cultures and civilisations.

‘As a member of the Council of Europe since 2001, Azerbaijan has contributed to upholding the fundamental principles of the Organization through its efforts and co-operation over the past years. We believe that parliamentary diplomacy and multilateral organizations such as PACE should play a greater role in creating an atmosphere of dialogue and co-operation against the backdrop of rising political tension and new challenges in the world, and should continue to serve as unifying and inclusive mechanisms. In this context, continued participation of Azerbaijani delegation in the work of PACE is essential for maintaining of constructive and unrestricted dialogue among all parliamentarians.

‘In the light of the foregoing, we express our hope that with your support, this resolution that does not serve the principles of dialogue and co-operation will be reconsidered and Azerbaijani delegation will resume its activities in PACE.’

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis