Paris, 7 December 2005: Assembly President Stef Goris (Belgium, Liberal Group) said today that Azerbaijan needed to remain a reliable partner with whom NATO and the EU could cooperate to enhance security and stability in the region and to fight terrorism, particularly by helping prevent the uncontrolled movement of terrorist activists and religious extremists. He added that “stability in the Caucasus is of great importance to the stability of Europe”.
 

Mrs Govhar Bakhshaliyeva, First Deputy Speaker of the outgoing Parliament in Baku, said earlier that Azerbaijan attached great importance to cooperation with the EU, especially in the security sphere.
 
The President also expressed his hope that the situation following the recent elections could soon be clarified and that it would be possible to continue dialogue with Azeri parliamentarians in the Assembly irrespective of the composition of the new parliament.
 
Speaking after Mrs Bakhshaliyeva’s address, President Goris said that the dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia was one of the simmering conflicts threatening stability in the region. It had too long been the cause of harm and suffering and even today there were still vast numbers of displaced persons. The international community should come up with new initiatives to bring the conflict to an end peacefully.

President Ilham Aliyev, who, during President Goris’ recent visit to Baku, had accepted an invitation to address the Assembly (see press release 32/2005) had had to postpone his trip to Paris in order to take part in the Islamic Summit Conference starting today in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.