AZG Daily #128, 07/11/2006

Conclusion

VAHAN HOVHANNISSIAN: ARMENIAN DELEGATION CARRIED OUT
SUCCESSFUL ACTIVITIES AT OSCE JULY SESSION

Vahan Hovhannissian, Vice-Speaker of RA National Assembly, said that
July session of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is extremely fruitful
for Armenia. He stated that the resolution submitted by delegates of
Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey on Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project was
disapproved by OSCE PA. He added that Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project
contradicts the norms of regional cooperation as it is directed
to isolation of Armenia. "We managed to get adopted the text of
the resolution that we planned," Hovhannissian said. The Armenian
delegation also managed to hinder adoption of the resolution for
the construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki railroad. Another resolution
of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, declaring "nothing can approve
separatism," was disapproved by OSCE PA. The Spanish delegates who
emphasized that in case of discrimination, the national minorities
have the right to protect their rights strictly criticized this
project. Moreover, the commission for humanitarian issues adopted the
resolution on the important part that the national minorities play
in the life of a state (in the context of the Armenian residents
of Samtskhe Javakheti region of Georgia this is one of the most
important resolutions). As for the commission of political issues,
the Armenian delegates managed to get adopted the resolution on the
fact that the referendum in Monte Negro is a good example of balance
between the right of the nations for self-determination and territorial
integrity. Besides, the Russian and the Armenian delegates hindered the
adoption of the amendments to the resolution that forbids to consider
the future status of Kosovo as a precedent submitted by the Georgian,
Azeri and Turkish delegates. It’s worth mentioning that the co-authors
of the Armenian initiatives were RF, Canada, Switzerland and Monaco.

Moreover, the delegates of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly consider
the statement of Matthew Bryza, OSCE MG Co-Chair, as an appeal to the
Armenian and Azerbaijani people, and as a attempt to activate public
diplomacy, without turning to the executive power. Vahan Hovhannissian,
Vice Speaker of RA National Assembly, head of RA Delegation to OSCE
PA, said this today.

"Everybody realizes that Armenia is maximally compliant, extremely
compliant in Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, but none can say
what will the sides reach by the end of the negotiations, though Goran
Lenmarker, newly elected chairman of OSCE PA, is quite optimistic about
the prospects of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement," Hovhannissian
said. He stated that earlier the official Baku had declined more
beneficial for Azerbaijan suggestions, as well.

Hovhannissian said that Azerbaijan hopes to increase its military
capacity. He added that even when in 1990-ies the military budget of
Azerbaijan also surpassed that of Armenia, we, the Armenians could
successfully resists their attacks.

Since 1998, OSCE MG took three initiatives and each of them was
more and more acceptable for Armenia. Vahan Hovhannissian, Head
of RA Delegation to OSCE PA, Vice Speaker of RA National Assembly,
said this at today’s press conference. Thus in 2001, in Key West,
the mediators suggested Armenia to secure a corridor for Baku to
communicate with Nakhijevan, in Rambouillet this point was not even
discussed. "The more the international structures get familiarized
with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict essence, the more beneficial for
Armenia their approaches become," he said.

He added that several countries, in particular, Great Britain,
make efforts to get involved in the OSCE MG structure, while the
parliamentarians of various countries show their participation in
the Nagorno Karabakh issue. Hovhannissian said that if OSCE MG isn’t
active enough, parliamentary unions, for example NATO PA, will take
the initiative. He stated this development is not desirable, as the
coordination of the settlement process by new instances may annihilate
the results achieved in the current format.

The Armenian delegation emphasized the importance of shaping a working
commission in Brussels for preparation of a report on the current
situation of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement, as a report elaborated
by one reporter is much more subjective

By Nana Petrosian