Belgian Foreign Minister in Baku raises the question on human rights

At the  meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov lasting for two hours were touched the  questions on   bilateral relations, Karabakh conflict, the situation in Ukraine, the Southern Gas Corridor, the Eastern Partnership, as well as the problem of human rights in Azerbaijan and the fate of human rights defenders in custody, said at press conference after the meeting the Belgian Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers Didier Reynders. "We, the Council of Europe, would like to have a dialogue about the fate of human rights defenders under arrest,"  said Reinders. Concerning the relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union, he called for the strengthening of trade relations. "But that does not mean isolation of Russia," he said. Answering questions, Mammadyarov said that the summit in Riga would "assess" the prospects for cooperation. At the same time, he made it clear that Baku wants energy and economic cooperation.

Answering the question from the Belgian journalist on human rights violations in Azerbaijan and the probability of release of political prisoners on the eve of the European game, Mamedyarov said that  in the question were reviewed "double standards." "Many organizations see only disadvantages of Azerbaijan, but there are also our neighbors and other countries. The issue of migration has been raised, but  the  problem  of million refugees  is forgotten.  Armenia has violated the first paragraph of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," said Mamedyarov.

With regard to the arrested  human rights activists Mammadyarov said that they " have violated the laws, and evaded taxes. All this has no relation to human rights," says Mamedyarov.-03C-