Written declaration No. 413 | Doc. 11677 | 01 July 2008

Azerbaijan – the first democratic Republic in the Orient

Signatories: Ms Ganira PASHAYEVA, Azerbaijan, EDG ; Mr Ruhi AÇIKGÖZ, Turkey, EDG ; Mr Mevlüt ÇAVUŞOĞLU, Turkey, EDG ; Mr Erol Aslan CEBECİ, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Mr Valeriy FEDOROV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Ms Alena GAJDŮŠKOVÁ, Czech Republic, SOC ; Ms Gultakin HAJIBAYLI, Azerbaijan, EPP/CD ; Mr Sabir HAJIYEV, Azerbaijan, SOC ; Mr Mike HANCOCK, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Mr Ali HUSEYNLI, Azerbaijan, EDG ; Mr Rafael HUSEYNOV, Azerbaijan, ALDE ; Mr Hakki KESKIN, Germany ; Ms Nursuna MEMECAN, Turkey, ALDE ; Ms Nino NAKASHIDZÉ, Georgia ; Mr Samad SEYIDOV, Azerbaijan, EDG ; Mr Yury SOLONIN, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Mehmet TEKELİOĞLU, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Mr Tuğrul TÜRKEŞ, Turkey, EDG ; Ms Özlem TÜRKÖNE, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Mr Mustafa ÜNAL, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Ms Tatiana VOLOZHINSKAYA, Russian Federation, EDG

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

The undersigned,

1. Considering that this year is the 90th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) and its parliament as the first democratic republic and parliament in the Orient, established in 1918;

2. Noting that the ADR in its twenty-three months of existence (until the occupation of the territory of the territory of Azerbaijan by the Red Army) granted all rights to its people, such as freedom of speech and media, and also Azerbaijani women were granted suffrage and could be elected, whereas women in all oriental countries and many European countries did not have the same rights;

3. As a bridge between East and West, the ADR popularised a democratic spirit and cultural development, not only in the region but also in the Muslim world;

4. Call on the Council of Europe and its member states to evaluate positively the role of the ADR in promoting European values as was done two weeks ago by the representatives attending the ceremony dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the parliament organised in Baku.