British parliamentarian.
Mike Hancock: European Union, which, in my opinion, should play a role in the region, should lead Armenia to realize the reality. Armenians should understand that they can not continue to occupy 20 percent of foreign territory. If they really want to be a full member of the European community, they should think about their policies. If this does not happen, there should be a pressure.
Source: memo.ru
Mike Hancock: I believe that the integration of Karabakh into normal life as a part of Azerbaijan as soon as possible is in the interests of the Russian Federation.The sooner this happens, the better.
Source: 1news.az
SOURCES AND PRESS
PACE member Mike Hancock: “We respect Azerbaijan’s right to restore territorial integrity”
Member of House of Commons of the United Kingdom and PACE member Mike Hancock said in a conversation with journalists on Friday: “We respect and understand the right of Azerbaijan to restore territorial integrity.” He noted that there is no country in the world that could reconcile with the occupation of 20% of its territory.
“Therefore, we share the feelings of Azerbaijan and its desire to return its own territories. At the same time, I would like to believe that Armenia, finally, realizes the inevitability of neighborhood with Azerbaijan, and will liberate the occupied territories,” he said.
Touching upon energy issues, Hancock noted that energy should not become a weapon, but should serve to reconcile and solve problems. At the same time, the founder and head of the British Security Foundation Robin Ashby noted that Azerbaijan’s role in the fight against Islamic fundamentalism is very high.
“If we talk about the development of democracy in Azerbaijan, we must say that in the West it is at different levels for different segments of the population as well,” Ashby said. As an example of this Ashby described the low participation of Europeans in the voting. “Usually no more than 50% of the population takes part in the elections,” he said.
Speaking about the influence of the Internet on public opinion, Ashby stressed that in Azerbaijan the role of the Internet in this area is increasing. “In Azerbaijan, more than 20% of the population has permanent access to the Internet. In Europe, this figure is 64%, and in the US – 73% of the population, “- he said.
Source: sputnik.az
Delegate of Great Britain to PACE Mike Hancock directly receives finance from Azerbaijan
The British delegate to the PACE, Mike Hancock, directly receives finance from Azerbaijan and is engaged in the propaganda of this country. This was stated by Naira Zohrabyan, Chairperson of the NA Standing Committee on European Integratio, at the meeting with Josephine Gauld, Head of South Caucasus Team of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office of Great Britain.
Ms. Zohrabyan presented the process of the Armenia’s European Integration. The sides have talked about the problems, which today impede the more efficient implementation of Armenia’s European Integration. At the guests’ request Ms. Zohrabyan presented some issues concerning the upcoming parliamentary elections. They referred also to the amended Electoral Code. The Committee Chairperson again highlighted the active and unbiased presence of the International Observation Missions in the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.
Referring to Armenia-Great Britain political relations Ms. Zohrabyan has noted that, unfortunately, in those relations the most serious factor is the “British Petrolium” and has mentioned that she understands that 50% of Azerbaijan’s foreign investments belong to Great Britain, however has expressed hope that Great Britain’s policy in the region will be balanced.
Thereafter Ms. Zohrabyan presented the relations between the parliamentary delegations of Armenia and Great Britain in international organizations, noting that, unfortunately, that cooperation is not effective, and has shown the guest the article, which has lately been published in “The Guardian” well known periodical and made a big fuss, how Mark Field, MP of Great Britain, has carried out a distinct lobbying for great amount of money in favour of Azerbaijan.Ms. Zohrabyan has mentioned that, unfortunately, this is not a unique case.
Ms. Zohrabyan expressed hope that the presidency and political forces of the British Parliament from now on would be much more consistent for revealing such cases and not allowing their repetition.
Source: news.am
British MP Mike Hancock asked for money for his mistress from the European Society of Azerbaijan
In mid-2009, British MP, Liberal Democrat Mike Hancock, being a member of an extremely important defense committee, asked for money from the European Society of Azerbaijan for his assistant and mistress Katerina Zatuliveter, who is accused of spying for Russia. According to the website of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, this is said in the documents of the Special Appeals Commission for Immigration of Great Britain.
Hancock did not deny this, but rejected the assumption that Zatuliveter lobbied the interests of the European Society of Azerbaijan. According to the investigation materials, at the time of the appeal against the court’s decision to deport her from Britain because of suspicion of espionage, Ms. Zatuliveter said she paid £ 2,000 for the legal costs of her visa and was plunged into financial difficulties, writes the Bureau.
Katerina Zatuliveter said: “Mike was very worried about my financial situation and what will happen to me. He suggested to the European Society of Azerbaijan that they could pay me for lobbying and advisory work, which I did for them for several months. They kindly paid me £ 3,000 on June 22, which is reflected in my bank account.”
She also informed the Appeal Commission that her work for the European Society of Azerbaijan included the organization of a photo exhibition in the Parliament on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which was confirmed by the representative of the Society.
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism turned to Mike Hancock to find out if he had asked for money for Ms. Zatuliveter from the Azerbaijani organization, but the representative of the parliamentarian said that Zatuliveter has friends in Azerbaijan, and she did the work for the European society of Azerbaijan according to her own will, Hancock himself was not aware of when and how much money she received.
The European Society of Azerbaijan is a lobbying group which sources of funding are not entirely clear, and which is in charge of the sons of one powerful Azerbaijani minister, the publication says.
Source: panorama.am