17/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - Azerbaijani parliament withdraws from Euronest. The co-presidents of the Euronest Assembly, Finnish MEP Heidi Hautala (Greens/EFA) and Georgian parliamentarian Victor Dolidze announced on Wednesday 16 September that the Azeri parliament (the Milli Majlis) has decided to withdraw from Euronest parliamentary cooperation. Euronest comprises members of the European Parliament and the parliaments of five of the six Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, but not Belarus for political reasons). The two co-presidents issued a statement noting their “availability to openly discuss the situation” with the Milli Majlis. The legislation establishing Euronest stipulates that one year's notice must be given before withdrawal comes into force. The Azeri parliamentarians' decision is reportedly related to the European Parliament's passing of a resolution on 10 September criticising the human rights situation in Azerbaijan (see EUROPE 11387). (CG)