Conference “The role of reforms at law enforcement bodies and armed forces in integration of Azerbaijan into Euro-Atlantic region”.
The conference is devoted to the 60th anniversary of the NATO.
June 16-17, 2009
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Shusha room, Baku, Azerbaijan
Organizers:
Azerbaijan Lawyers Confederation (ALC) and Eurasian Lawyers Association (ELA)
Supporters:
NATO PDD and Turkish Embassy in Azerbaijan
Two-day conference “The role of reforms carried out in Azerbaijani law-enforcement bodies and armed forces in Euro-Atlantic integration” had been conducted in Baku, in June 16-17, 2009. The conference was organized by Azerbaijan Lawyers Confederation and Eurasia Lawyers Association with supported of NATO and Turkish embassy in Azerbaijan.
Chairman of the parliament’s committee for legal policy Ali Huseynov said Azerbaijan joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program 15 years ago. Azerbaijan actively participated in NATO events. About 250 events are planned within the framework of Individual Partnership action Plan.
Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic underlined that security in the South Caucasus and Caspian Sea was a part of Turkey’s foreign policy. Speaking about Turkey’s role in making Azerbaijani Armed Forces in line with NATO standards, the ambassador said the adoption of the military doctrine would accelerate the process.
NATO coordinator-officer on the South Caucasus Zbigniew Ribatski said Azerbaijan actively participated in IPAP. “Azerbaijan is preparing the IPAP documents and its armed forces are conforming with NATO standards. There is a special attention attached to the military education, training of personnel and administrative issues”.
Romanian ambassador to Azerbaijan Nikolae Ureku said Romania, which took the coordinating mission between Azerbaijan and NATO, was responsible to make Baku and NATO closer and to inform Azerbaijani community about NATO. The ambassador said the security didn’t depend on the military parameters only and threats like weapons of mass destruction in use of terrorists, drug trafficking, illegal migration and others.
At the second day of the event, participants heard the reports on cooperation between the Ministry of National Security, State Border Service, Army and Internal troops with NATO.
NATO Liaison Officer in the South Caucasus region Zbigniew Rybacki also attended the conference.
Reports on the cooperation of National Security Ministry had been delivered by the Leading advisor of the Ministry of National Security Mr. Taleh Sadigov.
Ther session had been moderated by the Member of the State Support Council to NGOs under the President of Azerbaijan Republic, Member of ALC Mr. Alimammad Nuriyev.
After the delivering the speech human rights defender Ms. Novella Djafarova, Chairman of the Euro-Atlantic Centre Mr. Sulhaddin Akber, military journalist Mr. Uzeyir Djafarov, former militant Ildirim Mammadov expressed their opinions on the given issue and asked questions about the issues of concern.
After the short coffee break polkovnik Faig Veliyevm –chief of the department on international affairs of the Satte Border Service of Azerbaijan Republic had a speech on the topic ”Outcomes of the cooperation of State Border Service with NATO” . The topic was attracted attention of the NGO representatives and live discussions with questions and answer is followed by speech. The session was moderated by the member of ALC, human rights defender Mr. Sahib Mammadov. Military journalists Mr. Yashar Djafarli, Chairman of Eurasian Lawyers Association Mr. Ramil Iskandarov, chairman of the Azerbaijan Young Lawyers Union Mr. Elmari Mamishov, representative of the Ombudsman office asked some questions from the lecturer and got respond for those issues.
The conference was continiued after the two hours of lunch break. The third session of the conference was dedicated to the very acute issue in Azerbaijan – which is the problems of the democratic civilian control over armed forces. The session was moderated by the chairman of the Eurasian Lawyers Association Mr. Ramil Iskandarov. The representative of the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Vidadi Askerov which is responcible chief for the Euro-Atlantic integration section of the Ministry of Defence made a seech on the role of Ministry of Defence in bringing the military standards in line with the NATOs’ standards. After the speech a lot of questions, especially on the current progress of establishing public control over armed forces had been asked by the leaders of civil society organizaitons, such as Hasan Hasanov, Sahib Mammadov, Sulhaddin Akber, Uzeyir Djafarov, Yashar Djafarli and others. After that Mr. Zbrigniew Rybacki, liasion of NATO to South Caucasus delivered a very interesting speech about the NATOs’ and other countries experience in building democratic civilian control over armed forces.
The last session of the conference had been following after the short coffee-break. The representatives of the Internal Forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic, deputy chief of this forces Mr. Shahin Mammadov gave a comprehensive and interesting speech on the recent developments of the relations between the Internal Forces and NATO, with the special emphasize to the mutual cooperation between the Turksih Jandarma and Azerbaijani Internal Forces. The session had been moderated by the Secretary General of the Azerbaijan Lawyers Confederation Mr. Nadir Adilov.
After the completing of the questions and answers session Mr. Nadir Adilov took the floor and resumed all the outcomes of the conference. According to the final resume by Mr. Adilov, the following recommendations by the participants of the conference made in order to improve defence and security sectors in Azerbaijan:
- To continiue conducting such conferences in the next years with the different specific topics which is in the angeda of the Azerbaijan-NATO relations.
- To organize mutual visits by the representatives of the armed forces and civil society organizations.
- Organzie a visit of the representatives of the politcial-social life of Azerbaijan to the military bases and law enforcement bodies with the purpose of getting aquientance with the current situation in army.
- To diversify the resources of getting information about NATO and rasing public awareness of population about the role of NATO in keeping peace in the region.
- To invovle actively to the NATO pormotion issues in azerbaijan the member so the Palriamentary delegation of Azerbaijan in NATO.
- To conduct seminars for journalists in the sphere of professional military journalists by the experts of NATO and other international organizations.
- To improve the professional skills of military journalsist in the sphere of the democratic civilian control over armed forces.
- To intensify NATO visit of Azerbaijani experts and representatives of the civil society.
To conduct measures in regions of Azerbaijan related to the issue of promotion of NATO democracy and human rights standards.
