OSCE Office in Baku welcomes peaceful conduct of opposition rally, praises Mayor's office

BAKU, 6 June 2005 - The OSCE Office in Baku today welcomed the peaceful and orderly conduct of a 4 June opposition rally and praised the Mayor's office for finding an appropriate location.

The rally was the first authorised political demonstration in the Azerbajani capital since October 2003.

"This rally showed that a fair dialogue between the government and opposition instead of a meaningless confrontation can lead to the solution of many political problems in the country," said Ambassador Maurizio Pavesi, Head of the OSCE Office in Baku.

"We are also pleased with the orderly and responsible manner in which the rally was organized by the opposition parties."

Ambassador Pavesi commended the Baku Mayor's office for finding an appropriate location for the rally and law-enforcement agencies for safeguarding order and ensuring the safety of the demonstrators and journalists that covered the event.

He also expressed hope that the demonstration would set an example, both for authorities and opposition parties, and help in organizing future public rallies throughout the country.

The 4 June rally was organized by the Popular Front Party, the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan and the Musavat party. The final decision regarding the location of the rally was taken after negotiations between the Baku Mayor and opposition leaders.