Aliyev says Azerbaijan considering withdrawal from Council of Europe
Azerbaijani president says restoration of country's voting rights in PACE is key to improving ties, while also calling for restraint in Middle East at Shusha Global Media Forum
BAKU, Azerbaijan (MNTV) — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that his government is considering withdrawing from the Council of Europe, saying Baku is evaluating “not just the suspension or freezing” of its membership in the 46-member human rights organization.
“We are unequivocally considering leaving that structure,” Aliyev said in his opening address at the fourth Shusha Global Media Forum.
Aliyev said Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset had urged Azerbaijan to remain a member and seek a way to improve relations.
“The secretary general of the Council of Europe contacted me and asked us not to do this and to find a way to improve the situation,” he said.
Azerbaijan remains a member of the Council of Europe, although the voting rights of its delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) were suspended in 2024.
Recalling that he led Azerbaijan’s delegation to PACE in 2001, the year the country joined the Council of Europe, Aliyev said he regretted the deterioration in relations but insisted Azerbaijan had not taken actions warranting the suspension.
“They must restore the voting rights of our delegation. After that, the Azerbaijani delegation will return,” he said, describing the decision to suspend the delegation’s voting rights as unjust and calling on the organization to reverse it.
Aliyev also commented on Azerbaijan’s relations with the European Union, describing recent visits by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa and the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas as evidence of growing engagement between Baku and Brussels.
Turning to the conflict in the Middle East, Aliyev expressed hope that the latest escalation would be short-lived and urged restraint by countries in the region.
“Lasting peace must be just and fair and based on international law,” he said, adding that neighboring countries should work to normalize relations and avoid further escalation.
Held under the theme “The Mission of the Media in Promoting Peace: Restoring Truth and Rebuilding Trust,” the Shusha Global Media Forum brought together journalists, editors, government officials and communications specialists to discuss the media’s role in peacebuilding, countering disinformation and addressing the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
The opening day of the forum also featured discussions on media diplomacy, public discourse and reporting in post-conflict societies.
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