EU foreign policy chief concerned about situation in AzerbaijanMay 21, 2011 - 14:49 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, issued a statement on Azerbaijan. “I am increasingly concerned about the situation in Azerbaijan regarding the respect for human rights. The recent sentencing of two youth activists, Mr. Jabbar Savalan and Mr Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, on May 4 and May 18 respectively, is of concern to us. In both cases the circumstances give reason to assume that the judicial proceedings were overshadowed by political motivations,” she said. “We call upon Azerbaijan to fully respect fundamental freedoms and to guarantee the due application of the rule of law according to international standards to which Azerbaijan has committed itself. We also call on Azerbaijan to provide for a fair and swift revision of the verdicts.” Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |