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tion with our friends. We are involved in multibillion projects in the region. 
Three countries of the region - Azerbaij an, Georgia and Turkey proved that 
despite very complicated political and economic situation, technical diffi
  cul-
ties, they are able to implement into life the biggest energy project of the world 
in our region. Thus, we are going on in that direction. We see Azerbaij an as a 
secular and modern country which ensures all rights and freedoms, possesses 
high level political institutions, democracy, transparency and economic possi-
bilities, maintains good ties with neighbours and international organizations. 
We are going towards this target.
The confl icts existing in the Southern Caucasus are the main obstacles for the 
wide-scale regional cooperation, and they are a serious danger for our plans, 
views and programs. That is why, solution of those confl icts is necessary not 
only for us, but for all the region. I hope we will get these goals.
Once again I express my gratitude to you for the opportunity to deliver a 
speech here, and I am ready to answer your questions. Thank you very much.
Pierre Lelouche: Mr President, thank you so much. I think that your very 
clear analytic views were interesting for everyone. In 20 minutes the offi
  cial 
part of our session will end. We surely have time for several questions.
Thus, I want to start with question of Yars van Gini, parliamentarian from 
the Netherlands. Please, the fl oor is yours.
Yars Van Gini: Mr Chairman, thank you. I think we all are pleased with nice 
economic data of the Azerbaij ani society and government.
Mr President, I congratulate You on the election of Your country a member 
of UN Human Rights Council. We have not seen any diffi
  culty in some fi elds 
concerning human rights. On the another hand, there are a number of reports 
refl ecting information on violations in the fi eld of democratic processes and 
human rights. I do not mean here individual complaints and do not consider 
myself to be a judge. But the detailed report of International Amnesty, declara-
tion of that organization given on May 25 and diff erent reports of Your local 
organizations say that you do not have right and fair election process, innocent 
citizens are arrested because of political reasons, tortured in detention, and 
freedom of press is restricted.
Mr President, all this information causes a question about  the conformity 
between those cases and democratization desires of Your country. What plans 
do You have to remove them? Thank You.
Pierre Lelouche: Thank you. And now gett ing to the second question, I give 
the fl oor to the head of the Armenian mission Shahgeldiyan.
Shahgeldiyan (head of the Armenian mission): First, I express my gratitude 
for the hospitality shown to our delegation and organization of this session in 
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Paris. Thanks a lot.
Mr President, You talked of the necessity for a new approach and noted 
that the Nagorno-Karabakh confl ict must be sett led upon the approach based 
on peace via talks. The vision of Armenia says that the issue must be resolved 
by talks and mutual compromises. This is the offi
  cial att itude of Armenia. We 
have declared that att itude in all talks held so far, in the frames of international 
organizations and inside Armenia. The problem is that the talks must be held 
and completed without any initial condition. Talks must be based on fl exible 
approaches. Future must be taken into consideration when making declara-
tions. This is our approach.
My question is: fi rst, the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is not a territorial 
problem. This is connected with the right of nations. The question concerns 
the people living in the Nagorno-Karabakh. This is very necessary. From this 
point of view do you take into account the rights of those people, international 
norms? In this case, can initial conditions be subject to talks? To what extent it 
is suitable to talk here only on one principle - the principle of territorial integ-
rity?
Another brief issue. If the talk is on the territorial integrity principle only, to 
what extent the rights of national minorities are considered? Thank You.
Pierre Lelouche: I want to precise before all the Assembly. I wish to say these 
words to President Ilham Aliyev twice. While dealing with organization of the 
session in Paris I wanted to invite heads of three countries in the Southern Cau-
casus, including Mr Kocharyan. Unfortunately, President Kocharyan decided 
not to come. He could disclose his vision before President Aliyev if he had 
come. We even could arrange the meeting of the two heads of states in Paris. I 
regret that he did not take this chance. So, I give the fl oor to President Aliyev.
Ilham Aliyev: Regarding the fi rst question I want to say that political pro-
cesses are successfully going in Azerbaij an. Sometimes lack of information or 
wrong information, information serving certain interests is not useful for com-
mon work. That is why instead of coming to conclusions based on any sub-
jective approach, it is bett er to verify that information or ask while having no 
idea of that. I think that the frequent participation of the Azerbaij ani offi
  cials in 
diff erent international events is much important. With that we may introduce 
ourselves and be able to answer the questions based on false information.
Elections in Azerbaij an were held in accordance with the Election Code. Of-
fi cial results of elections held in November were 90%, the same with the results 
of exit poll organized by a company chosen by the US government. Election 
violations took place, but our government took serious actions, a number of 
offi
  cials were punished, some arrested, some heads of local administration dis-
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