“If the problem of political prisoners is not decided till September 2003, the Assembly will cancel the mandates of the members of Azerbaijani delegation,” the report of George Clarfight presented on June 26 reads. The statement of PACE Secretary General Walter Swimmer also comes to prove the intention to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan: “We are loosing our patience and can not wait anymore for the release of all the political prisoners of Azerbaijan”. He stressed that the postponement of the voting is Baku’ last chance.
It is noteworthy that the evaluations contained in the report were approved by almost all the speech makers. Even the MP of Turkish National Assembly Atesh joined the demand to release immediately all the political prisoners stressing that ”even one political prisoners i already too much”. George Clarfight said: ”I suggest sending back the report till September. At the autumn session we shall address this issue once more and will adopt a final decision”. But the postponing of the terms does not change anything for the official Baku. The Presidential elections of Azerbaijan will be held in October, while the fact that so many people are being kept as political prisoners is the reflection of the intention to have them neutralized in the period of the pre election campaign. Aliyev-junior said that on the eve of the presidential election in Armenia the discussion of the issue of abolishment of dead penalty in Armenia was postponed for a later period. While in case of Azerbaijan this principle is not being followed.
The parallel with Armenia is not a sudden. Understanding the inevitability of imposing sanctions in Azerbaijan, Aliyev tries to drag also Armenia. The principle of parity practiced by the Council of Europe towards Armenia and Azerbaijan may lead to more pressure of Strasbourg upon Armenia. The autumn session will consider also the issue on recognizing the powers of the Armenian delegation. In this situation, the official Yerevan turns to be interested in commitment by the official Baku of at least a part of undertaken obligations which will allow it to avoid the sanctions. But the hope is too faint…
