European, Armenian MPs pass statement on bilateral ties, Karabakh, Turkey

Noyan Tapan news agency
19 Apr 05

Yerevan, 19 April: The chairman of the foreign relations commission of
the Armenian National Assembly, Armen Rustamyan, and a French member of
the European Parliament, [Marie Anne] Isler Beguin, presided over the
seventh session of the commission on parliamentary cooperation between
the European Union and Armenia in Strasbourg on 13 and 14 April. At
the beginning of the session, members of the committee observed a
minute of silence to honour the victims of the genocide of Armenians.

The agenda was quite busy, Rustamyan said at a press conference
in Yerevan on 19 April. The meeting discussed issues related to
the political, social and economic situation in Armenia, democratic
processes, environmental, educational and cultural problems, as well
as Armenia’s relations with neighbouring countries, the situation in
Nagornyy Karabakh and programmes of European assistance.

As a result of two-day discussions, the commission endorsed the text
of a statement and the text of proposals comprised of 36 points. The
commission, in particular, said that all the South Caucasus countries
should refrain from statements and reservations which restrict or
obstruct the goals and the spirit of the European Neighbourhood Policy
and the inclusion of each of these countries into regional initiatives
and programmes. It is said that the efficient implementation of the
programme of activities will pave the way for signing a new type
of an agreement on European neighbourhood between Armenia and the
European Union.

The commission also touched on the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
Azerbaijan and Armenia can take decisive steps towards a peaceful
resolution to the long-standing conflict. The commission expressed
the view that a resolution to the Karabakh conflict should include an
agreement on the future status of Nagornyy Karabakh, on the population
of the adjacent territories, including refugees, and encourage the
participation of the Nagornyy Karabakh people in the peace talks. The
commission also said that the still-undefined status of Nagornyy
Karabakh must not become an obstacle to the international community’s
respect for fundamental rights and freedoms of the people living in
the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic. The commission condemns the use of
force or such a threat in resolving the Karabakh problem.

The document also spoke about another neighbour of Armenia, Turkey.
In particular, the commission called on Ankara to fully comply with
its status of a European Union candidate, to take the necessary steps
towards establishing good-neighbourly and diplomatic relations with
Armenia and to open the land border as soon as possible.

“The commission refers to all the European Parliament resolutions
on the genocide of Armenians and on the eve of the 90th anniversary
of the genocide calls on the Turkish authorities to engage in a
fully-fledged and sincere international and domestic process of
reconciliation in connection with this issue,” said the document
adopted by the commission.