20:15, 25 April 2003

OSCE representative has arrived in Baku

The Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Christian Strohal, who arrived in Baku for a two-day visit yesterday, intends to acquaint himself with the process of preparation for elections of the President of Azerbaijan that have to be held coming autumn. Other questions concerning processes of democratization in Azerbaijan, as well as situation with human rights are also expected to be touched on during the visit.

Strohal, who has headed ODIHR since March 2003, will meet President Geydar Aliyev, the Speaker of the Parliament Murtuz Alekserov, and the Commissioner of Human Rights Elmira Suleymanova, as well as representatives of political parties and public organizations.

Strohal has already visited a refugee camp in the Bilyasuvarsk region of Azerbaijan and negotiated with the heads of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Committee on Refugees and Forced Migrants Vilayat Guliyev and Ali Hasanov.

Source: Caspian News Agency