BAKU USES PACE FLOOR TO FALSELY ACCUSE ARMENIA

Yerkir.am
July 01, 2006

Armenian National Assembly Speaker and head of Armenian delegation
to PACE Tigran Torosian han has met with Council of Europe Secretary
General Terry Davis to discuss Azerbaijani delegation’s aggressive
stance at the PACE.

Torosian said the Azeris have been using the PACE floor to falsely
accuse Armenia, in particular, charging Armenia of setting fires to
forests in the regions around Karabakh.

"For a week already the Azeri delegation keeps on stating that
Armenians set fire to the forests along the border of Nagorno
Karabakh," Torosian said. " The mildest assessment I can give to this
show is cheap political gambling. I will explain why. Three years ago
Nagorno Karabakh authorities being concerned over the fires at the
near-border pastures proposed Azerbaijan to work out joint mechanisms
for prevention of fires. Azerbaijan did not response to the proposal.

The difference of the positions of NKR and Azerbaijan on the matter is
obvious. While Baku was setting up clamor NKR Foreign Ministry June
15 requested the Office of the OSCE CiO’s Personal Representative
to hold a monitoring to assess the real situation and refute false
accusations advanced by Azerbaijan.

The OSCE mission has been examining the near-border territories
for several days but found nothing what could prove Azerbaijan’s
statements.

Unfortunately, spreading hatred and invented accusations – these are
the methods Azerbaijan uses when discussing any matter. For this
purpose they are even ready to falsify the CoE documents. This is
nothing but disrespect for the PACE and the CoE principles."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress