President a.i. of the Council of Europe Congress to visit Azerbaijan

Ian Micallef, President a.i. of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, will pay an official visit to Azerbaijan from 10 to 14 September 2009 to assess the situation of local democracy in the country after the constitutional referendum of 18 March 2009.

He will meet Speaker of the Parliament Oqtay Asadov, Head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Justice Minister Fikrat Mammadov, as well as members of the Azerbaijani delegations to the Congress and to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE).

There will be an exchange of views with representatives of the opposition parties.

Further background discussions are planned with NGOs, the media and with representatives of the diplomatic community in Baku.

Ian Micallef will report on the results of the visit to the Bureau of the Congress, meeting in Strasbourg on 21 September 2009.