By Vestnik Kavkaza
In Moscow the conference of the Council of Europe Ministers of Culture is ended. The Bolshoi Theater gathered 230 delegates from 50 countries; 22 countries were presented at the level of state secretaries and ministers, including Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia.
Vladimir Medinskiy, Russian Minister of Culture, told Vestnik Kavkaza that he was in Azerbaijan a few days ago: “The city of Baku traditionally amazes with its hospitality and pace of development. You know that in Azerbaijan a forum of MGIMO graduates was held at the invitation and under the auspices of President Aliyev, we are very grateful to him. Now cultural relations between Russia and Azerbaijan are at the highest level. We talk to each other in the Ministries of Culture. In Moscow the fund of the First Lady of Azerbaijan is actively working, "Baku" magazine is published, and its editor is the president's daughter, I once attended the presentation of this magazine. Therefore, in my opinion, the prospects for the development of cultural relations between our countries are very positive.”
Gabriela Battaini-Dragoni, the deputy secretary general of the Council of Europe, told Vestnik Kavkaza that “Azerbaijan will have a great opportunity to play a major role in a few months time because it’s going to take the chairmanship of the Council of Europe. There is a lot expectation as to the role that Azerbaijan will be able to play in the field of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in the Council of Europe and in Azerbaijan itself when this chairmanship is going to be prepared and coming up. I’ve been myself to Azerbaijan a few months ago, and I had an opportunity to meet different ministers, also the presidential administration, and the delegation of the parliament of Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe. I went there with the delegation with a view to prepare an action plan for the cooperation between the Council of Europe and Azerbaijan. And this action plan sets out three main areas of cooperation: human rights, democracy, and rule of law. Now we are in the process of waiting the comments from the Azeri authorities on the proposals that we have submitted, and we hope that these comments will come very soon because we are really looking forward for an intensified cooperation with the Azeri authorities.
I happen to have very good relations with the minister of culture himself because I have been in the past Director General of Culture at the Council of Europe. So I had an opportunity to travel to the country and to appreciate the cultural heritage which is present there. I have to take note of the efforts that are made to protect this heritage though all the country. And I know that there is also a very good cooperation in that extend, for instance, between Italy and Azerbaijan.”
