Fate of OSCE Baku Office Not Determined Finally

From 1 January 2014 the OSCE Baku office will act as a project coordinator, said the head of this office Koray Targay in an interview with Turan, responding to a question about the future of the mission. He recalled that the decision to change the status of the Baku representation was made by the OSCE Head Office.

In July this year in Vienna discussions were held on the issue, but the negotiations have not yet fully completed. Not yet resolved is the question of including the office staff. This issue is still under discussion, but there is no consensus, said Targay.

The diplomat also said that soon will be released the final report of the OSCE ODIHR on the presidential elections in Azerbaijan.

On the request to express his attitude to criticism by official Baku of the primary ODIHR report, Targay said: "The aim of the report is promoting further expansion of space for democracy and human rights in Azerbaijan," he said, refraining from further comment and saying that these topics are not a framework of his mandate.

Recall that official Baku insisted on reducing the status of the OSCE Baku office to the project coordinator level. The new status of the mission involves coordination of projects implemented by the OSCE in the country with the authorities of Azerbaijan. -03B06-