Azerbaijani European Movement Close to the Membership in MED

Secretary General of the European Movement (MED) Diogo Pinto 13-15 September is on a visit to Baku. The purpose of the visit is the preparation of the report on the admission of Azerbaijan by the European Movement (AED) in a full-fledged member of this structure, as well as to discuss cooperation between the European Movement of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and their contribution to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

AED in May of this year passed the first stage of the permanent membership in MED and the Pinto mission is associated with the assessment of the implementation of the commitments.

The report will be presented at a MED board meeting on September 22 in Brussels, where they will make the final decision.

At today's press conference in the media center IRFS Pinto expressed his satisfaction with the overall situation, but did not anticipate the outcome of the meeting, where a decision is made.

During his visit to Baku Pinto met the OSCE Office in Baku and examined the implementation of a joint project with the AED in the country.

In addition, Pinto visited the EU representation in Azerbaijan.

Pinto was admitted to the Center for Strategic Studies under the President, the Foreign Minister, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the State Fund of Youth.

Pinto said that the country's officials reacted positively to the idea of ??cooperation between European movements of Azerbaijan and Armenia, and even expressed a willingness to provide financial support to projects.

According to him, they previously planned a visit by representatives of the European Movement of Armenia to the event in Baku. However, because of tensions due to the situation around Safarov, the trip was postponed. Pinto expressed his disagreement with the "glorification" of Safarov.

The question of why European institutions have criticized the release Safarova, but were silent when the terrorists Varuzhan Garabedian, Monte Melkonian and others were announced heroes of Armenia, Pinto said he condemns criminal and believes it unjustifiable on both sides.

AED President Ramin Hajili said that in the event of Azerbaijan in MED, Baku is ready to take next spring a great forum of European Movement in the framework of the "Eastern Partnership". This forum in the past year has already been held in Armenia.

Hajili also said that in the late afternoon AED carry out the action in the center of Baku - the children will be handed out balloons, painted in the EU flag.

* Membership of AED is individual and associative (companies, youth organizations, NGOs, etc.). In this case, the movement represents supporters of the authorities and the opposition.

 **   MED was founded in 1948 by Winston Churchill and other political leaders in Europe in order to promote democratic values ??in Europe. One of the achievements of the movement was the creation in 1949 of the Council of Europe. International European Movement promotes the message of peace, democracy, freedom, solidarity, the European integration process. -06c-