05/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - EU hails amnesty but notes radio station closure. On Wednesday 31 December, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini believed that the New Year pardon announced on 29 December by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev for several prisoners, including a number of journalists and opposition youth activists, was “a welcome step”. Mogherini's spokesperson nevertheless noted that at the same time a decision had been taken to close the Baku office of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, “contravening Azerbaijan's international commitments to protect media freedom”. “Restoring the international community's faith in the commitment of Azerbaijan to the freedom of expression, a free and independent media, and to the rule of law will require consistent efforts of the authorities in Baku”, Mogherini's spokesperson stated. Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland also hailed the amnesty and underlined his concern at the closure of Radio Free Europe. (CG)