EU EMPHASIZED THE RIGHT FOR SELF-DETERMINATION

Lragir.am
20 April 06

The two-day session of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation
Committee finished on April 19. A conclusion of 38 points was
adopted. After the meeting the co-chairs of the committee Ms. Marie
Anne Isler Béguin and MP Armen Rustamyan gave a news conference. The
speakers said a broad range of questions was discussed during
the session, from internal policies in Armenia and the upcoming
election in 2007 and 2008 to Nagorno Karabakh and Turkish-Armenian
relations. Marie Anne Isler Béguin appreciated the high level of
debates and in-depth consideration of issues. By the way, during the
debates one of the Europeans repeatedly used the phrase “occupied
territories.” According to Armen Rustamyan, there is nothing to worry
about, and often the questions are made sharper on purpose to have
an open and productive discussion.

Out of the mentioned 36 points of the conclusion 6 refer to Nagorno
Karabakh and all the six favor the Armenian party. It was unanimously
accepted that the settlement of the Karabakh issue should involve
the rights for self-determination of nations and the minorities,
the settlement of the conflict by military means should be excluded,
the fact that NKR is not recognized should not damage the rights
and freedoms of people who live there, there should be guarantees
of security, etc. The Europeans will discuss the same questions with
the Azerbaijanis. Sure enough, the Azerbaijanis will try to reduce,
if not remove pro-Armenian phrases. Armen Rustamyan says it will not
be easy, for in Yerevan all these were adopted unanimously, in other
words, the EU guarantees what was written. By the way, the previous
efforts of the Azerbaijanis failed thanks to the determination of
the EU delegates. Marie Anne Isler Béguin is hopeful that Azerbaijan
will accept the right of nations for self-determination.

The EU delegates are currently similarly determined, and hoping that
one day we or our children will enter the European Union, advise to
hold elections in compliance with European standards that are known to
everyone, and prepare the society for the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict and learn to live side by side with their neighbors, like
France and Germany, which used to have a lot of problems.

Besides, in all their meetings, including that with Robert Kocharyan,
the EU representatives said they would like to be televised again. They
also said that for elections complying with European standards only
laws are not enough, these require political will as well. They are
willing to monitor the elections in 2007 and 2008. They said and set
down in the conclusion that in Armenia corruption is one of the major
setbacks in economic and social development, and called for a more
consistent struggle against this vice.

–Boundary_(ID_7ZjHY7w6VM/AV3kqU7Y4mw)–