COE SECRETARY GENERAL FINDS ILLEGAL VOTING IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Dec 13 2006
YEREVAN, December 13. /ARKA/. Council of Europe Secretary General Terry
Davis finds that referendum on adoption of the first Constitution of
Nagorno-Karabakh cannot have any legal validity.
"This Sunday’s vote organized by the ‘de facto’ authorities of
Nagorno-Karabakh cannot have any legal validity. It will not be
recognized by the international community", Davis’s statement,
presented to ARKA News Agency by the Council of Europe Information
Office on Monday, says.
He said that a lasting solution for Nagorno-Karabakh could only come
out of the political process facilitated by the Minsk Group.
"Any future solution must respect human rights, and if it is submitted
to popular consultation, the vote must be free and fair and open to
everyone", Davis said.
"The main responsibility for the settlement is with the political
leadership of Armenia and Azerbaijan and especially President Kocharian
and President Aliyev. This is one of the accession commitments of both
Armenia and Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe", the statement says.
According to preliminary results, during the voting in unrecognized
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic 77 thsd 279 people or 98,58% of the total
number of electors voted "in favor" of the Constitution, and 549 or
0,7 % – "against".
On the whole 78 thsd 389 people took part in the vote (87%) from 89
thsd 44 people having franchise.
Final results of the vote will be announced on December 13.
More than hundred international observers and journalists from Russia,
USA, France, Italy, Great Britain, Croatia, Serbia and other countries,
as well as Prednestrovia, Abkhazia and South Osettia watched the
process of the voting.