Failure of the lobbyist of the Azerbaijani authorities in the elections of the PACE president

New PACE president  has been elected parliamentarian  of Luxembourg, Anne Brasseur. She was elected to the post on January 27 at the PACE winter plenary session  during alternative choices. According to the special correspondent of Turan  from Strasbourg, 165 of 290 deputies voted for Brassor. Another candidate,  the British  Robert Walter, was  supported only  by 125 deputies.  According to the existing tradition,  as a rule, presidents PACE alternately become candidates nominated by the political groups of the Assembly. But this time , despite it was the turn of the Alliance of Liberal Democrats, who nominated Brassor,  a group of parliamentarians from the various fractions also nominated the British Walter.

It is noteworthy that Walter is considered one of the independent observers of the  active lobbyists  of Azerbaijani authorities to PACE .

He led the PACE  delegation at  the presidential elections  on October 9, 2013 , which gave a positive assessment of the elections. This position was diametrically contrary to observers ODIHR OSCE  who criticized the mass violations during the elections.

The EU, the governments of the leading EU countries and the USA were  guided  by the conclusion of  more representative and professional OSCE ODIHR mission.

Walter was also an active opponent of the adoption in January 2013 Christopher Strasser's report on political prisoners in Azerbaijan.

So, Walter Strasser criticized the report . "This report is based on blogs and reports by NGOs. I think it discredits our work. We will  reject Strasser’s report,"  said Walter in the discussions.

It is noteworthy that in the course of those discussions,  today elected new PACE President Brassor supported the report  of Strasser .

She said about the unacceptability of failure visa  to the PACE Rapporteur to fulfill its mission . "We welcome the release  some  convicted, but new prisoners were added to the list. Arrests people for their beliefs are unacceptable,"  said Brassor.—16С06--