KARABAKH IS NOT A GREY AREA BUT IT MAY BE SENSITIVE

Lragir.am
28 March 06

On March 21 and 22 the meeting of the industrial and environmental
commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of Black Sea Economic
Cooperation took place in Bucharest. Member of Parliament Gagik
Minasyan, who represented Armenia at the meeting, reported details
to news reporters on March 28.

The issue of cooperation in struggle against economic crimes was on
the agenda of the commission. Fighting bird flu was discussed as a
burning issue.

Gagik Minasyan said during the discussion of the issue
on the agenda Azerbaijan again spoke about Karabakh, the
refugees and territories. The representatives of Armenia was
not startled. Addressing the Parliamentary Forum, Gagik Minasyan
announced: “The economic blockade of an entire country is a specific
economic crime organized on a top governmental level. Azerbaijan has
been committing this economic crime of the government level against
Armenia for a number of years.” And proposed to uproot all the types
of economic crime, including blockade.

Georgia proposed to state in the resolution on fighting economic crime
that ” One of the main types of economic crime is the so-called grey
areas, such as, for instance, the post-conflict areas of Abkhazia and
the former South Osetian sovereign region in Georgia, where there are
illegal markets and illegal circulation of foreign currency.” Georgia
proposed to include in the recommendations of the resolution that
in grey areas, particularly, in the mentioned places, the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation should assist in seeking for peace settlements
of the conflict.

The phrase “grey area” was disapproved by Armenia, as well as Turkey
with regard to Cyprus, and Russia with regard to Chechnya. The
phrase in the Georgian proposal was replaced by “sensitive areas”:
“One of the main types of economic crime is the so-called sensitive
areas, which favor illegal trade and illegal circulation of foreign
currency.” Many disliked the phrase “sensitive areas” used in the
recommendations as well, for the phrase “sensitive areas” can suggest
anything. But the resolution has already been passed.