“I invite Azerbaijan to become an exemplary state in the Council of Europe” - Volfgang Manig

Baku/25.11.20/Turan: On November 18, Germany took over the chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe for the next six months. On this occasion, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Baku Volfqanq Maniq answered questions about the priorities of the German chair, the prospects for relations between the Council of Europe and Azerbaijan.

Question: Many observers note the weakening of the role of the Council of Europe as an international organization capable of making a significant contribution to solving the problems of the continent, including such spheres as democracy, human rights, conflict resolution, and combating manifestations of xenophobia. Does Germany have an agenda to revitalize the Council of Europe?

-The Council of Europe has always played a very vital role when it comes to protect the rights of the European citizens – not always visible for the public but effective using diplomatic channels. It contributes to the security of Europe by its soft power, enshrined in its Charter. The fact that some governments try to revise their national laws with the objective to restrict the effectiveness of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights is an evidence that these governments are afraid of the soft power by the Council of Europe. Therefore, it will not be necessary to “revitalize” the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe is strong. 

Q: Six years ago PACE suspended Russia's activities in connection with the annexation of Crimea. In response, Russia stopped paying membership fees. Ultimately, Russia was returned to PACE, without fulfilling the conditions for restoring the integrity of Ukraine. Does this undermine the values of the organization?

- The Council of Europe is an international organization, which shall promote democracy, rule of law and human rights. But it is also a platform for Western, Central and Eastern Europe, where both governments, parliaments, the judiciary, and the civil society of the Member States can meet. The Council of Europe shall serve the citizens of the Member States. Any long-term suspension of membership endangers this role and exempts a Member State, which violates the basic principles of the peaceful cohabitation of the European peoples from complying with the Charter. This is, however, not in the interest of the citizens who rely on the protection by the Charter of the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the supervision by the Ministers’ Committee. In this regard, the readmission of Russia to all institutions of the Council of Europe eventually sends an important signal to all citizens in peril.

Q: How do the restrictions imposed (implementation) in connection with COVID affect the capacity of the Council of Europe structures?

- Germany hopes to manage the meetings in a format suitable for all Member States. Of course, I deplore that we cannot exchange visitors as it had been in the past and that we are obliged to use hybrid and digital formats. But the Council of Europe will give a good example by reduction of contacts and observing all precautionary measures to prevent a further spread of the new Corona-virus. As an international organization, the capacity of the organization will not be more affected than national structures. 

Q: After the liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, it became known   that all civil infrastructure and cultural monuments here have been destroyed. Will the Council of Europe send a fact-finding mission to inform the international community and attract donors to restore Europe's cultural heritage?

- As far as I know from a debriefing of the UN Residence Coordinator in Baku, UNESCO will be in charge of the evaluation of damages in the conflict area. Germany as one of the biggest contributors to UN and its Agencies will certainly observe attentively the international efforts and will draw the necessary conclusions in order to save and restore cultural monuments – which also play an important role for reconciliation in the region.

Q: What questions will be the subjects of the dialogue between the Council of Europe and Azerbaijan in 2021, will the issues of reforming the legal system, the implementation of PACE resolutions regarding the problem of political prisoners be raised?  

- As I have already mentioned, the Council of Europe serves the citizens of the Member States. All Member States share the values enshrined in the Charter. Whereas after 71 years, the founding and early Member States can look back to many years of forging democratic and liberal societies, the younger Member States did not have this opportunity. Therefore, the German Chair of the Ministers’ Committee of the Council of Europe strives to establish the same level of protection of the citizens in all Member States against corruption, against discrimination of all kinds, against racism and xenophobia. Using the occasion of the annual UN Secretary General’s Campaign “UNITE” to end violence against women, starting today on November 25, 2020,  I would like to invite Azerbaijan to sign and ratify the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe. I welcome that the signature procedure in Azerbaijan is already in progress. In the Convention, Council of Europe’s Member States confirm their obligation to combat sexual and domestic violence.  Public administrators, including the security authorities, must be made sensitive for the European Convention of Human Rights.

PACE as the parliamentarian body of the Council of Europe offers a highly valuable platform for discussion and evaluation of the ability of all parties concerned to fulfill their obligations and to appeal to the Ministers’ Council to remain seized with the matter. The Ministers’ Council has to study carefully the resolutions and has to define its actions accordingly. Indeed, there is still room for improvement in Azerbaijan’s performance in the full implementation of the Charter and of many of the Conventions. The German and the Azerbaijani governments agree that the dialogue about reform policy shall be intensified, particularly as the raising of awareness to the protective Conventions is concerned – training – both in the judiciary and in the executive administrations - is the key for it. Germany encourages this wonderful country and its great people, particularly the young generation, to strengthen its European identity. I invite Azerbaijan to become a model state in the Council of Europe. -16B-