Chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee for International and Inter-Parliamentary Relations/Leader of the Working Group for inter-parliamentary connexions with the USA Samad Seyidov had a meeting with Charge d’Affaires a.i. of the US embassy in Azerbaijan Michael Dickerson on 23 December.

Mr Seyidov welcomed the US diplomat, mentioned the significance attached to the relationship with the United States, underlined the need to further the bilateral inter-parliamentary linkage and touched on the diversely-faceted co-operation between our countries.

The committee chairman mentioned his recent stateside visit and the meetings he had had with the Congressmen in order to broaden the Azeri-US inter-parliamentary relations. He also spoke of the freedom of speech maintained in Azerbaijan, adding that our media were free media. The citizens of the country enjoy access to online resources and a free reach to social networks, according to Mr Seyidov.

The work done by the Milli Majlis was broached then. Mr Seyidov told Mr Dickerson about enactment of modern laws and the reliance on the relevant international experience in the drafting of the Media Bill. The care of the freedom of mass media was referred to as well.

As he told the guest about the Media Bill, Samad Seyidov remarked that our state had always attached immense importance to the freedoms of speech and of mass media. The bill in question has gone through public debates involving leaders and representatives of a number of media outlets and the leading mass media of the country.

Mr Seyidov spoke of the working visit of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic Mr Ilham Aliyev to Brussels for the 6^th summit meeting of the EU Eastern Partnership Programme. He underlined the productive meetings that had taken place whilst President Aliyev was in Belgium. That visit is remarkable not only because it had made it possible to manifest the just standpoint of Azerbaijan but also due to its relevance, according to Mr Seyidov.

Nigyar Arpadarai of the above-said working group who, too, was present at the meeting spoke about the historic victory of Azerbaijan, keeping up peace and well-being in the region and security reinforcement.

Charge d’Affaires a.i. of the US embassy in Azerbaijan Michael Dickerson said, in turn, that the Brussels Summit and the meetings held in its format had proven extremely productive. The positive steps had been made for the region, Mr Dickerson added.

As the conversation went on, Mr Dickerson’s questions of the media topicality were answered. Besides, there was an exchange of opinions about broadening the bilateral relations in various areas, the inter-parliamentary co-operation prospects and other matters of interest to both sides.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis