MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF NKR NGO’S
Evika Babayan.

Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
21 May 07

On May 17 the German delegation visiting Stepanakert met with the
representatives of the Nagorno-Karabakh NGOs. The German delegation
included Eckhart Strattenschulte, director of the European Academy of
Berlin, member of Bundestag Marcus Gisekke, reporter of the Berliner
Zeitung Franck Gerald, reporter of Deutch Radio Hermut Jenerian,
lawyer and entrepreneur Jurgen Schmidt, Jirair Kocharian from the Open
University of Berlin, and Gayane Apinian from the Union of Friends of
Arsakh NGO. From Karabakh Robert Bagrian (Union of Azatamartiks of
Artsakh), Irina Grigorian (Resource Center of Stepanakert), Karine
Ohanian (Young Democrats), Sarasar Sarian (Union of Refugees from
Azerbaijan), Taron Hakobian (Rebirth of Homeland), Galina Somova
(Russian (Slavic) Community), Yervand Hajian (Generation of Haik),
Vera Grigorian (Union of Families of Missing Azatamartiks), Naira
Hayrumyan (Yerevan Press Club) participated.

Janna Krikorova, the secretary general of the NKR Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, said the establishment of the civil society in Karabakh is
still underway due to the national liberation movement, the war, the
consequences of the war, the unrecognized state. All these conditions
hindered collaboration between NKR and different organizations. The
development of the public sector depends on the financial support
of international organizations, but the international donors
refuse to collaborate with the organizations of an unrecognized
country. Ms. Krikorova said particularly efforts were made to
collaborate with Friedrich Ebert and Heinrich Boll foundations,
but collaboration was stopped due to the protests of the Azerbaijani
side. And this is not the first case.

Fortunately, according to Janna Krikorova, recently the
non-governmental organizations have become more active, besides,
the government launched a grant project for these organizations. The
guests mentioned in answer that they visit Karabakh to learn about the
country, people, their life, customs, and problems. They asserted that
the building of democracy depends on the development of the public
sector. The first question of the German delegation was addressed
to Galina Somova. They wanted to know about the state of the rights
of ethnic minorities in Nagorno-Karabakh. Ms. Somova, as well as the
other representatives of NGOs offered facts and arguments showing that
the rights of the ethnic minorities in Karabakh are not violated,
and they are supported by both the government and the society. The
second question of the delegation was the issue of refugees. Namely,
Eckhart Strattenshulte wanted to know about the thoughts of the NGOs
if the society is ready to accept refugees from Azerbaijan.

The representatives of the Karabakh NGOs said the question itself is
violation of human rights, particularly the rights of the Armenian
refugees. "Why do the international organizations focus on the problem
of Azerbaijani refugees and ignore the Armenian refugees? Meanwhile,
over 500 thousand Armenian refugees were displaced from Azerbaijan
and spread all over the world?" said the representatives of the
Artsakh-based NGOs. The issue of hostages and POWs, as well as the
opportunities for German and Karabakh collaboration were discussed.