ACCORDING TO RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, PACE RAPPORTEUR EDWARD O’HARA’S TRIP TO REGION FAILS BECAUSE OF AZERBAIJAN

Noyan Tapan
Aug 31, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, NOYAN TAPAN. In connection with failure of the
PACE rapporteur Edward O’Hara’s visit to the region with the aim of
studying the state of cultural legacy of the South Caucasus, the PR
Department of the RA National Assembly on August 31 issued a statement
which refutes false explanations spread by the Azerbaijani mass media
and presents the truth.

According to the statement, it was the Armenian delegation in PACE
that came up with the initiative – in connection with destruction
of khachkars in Nakhijevan. Later the PACE commission accepted the
proposal of the Azerbaijani side to organize that regional visit.

It is noted that Edward O’Hara’s trip to the region with the aim of
studying the problem of preservation of cultural legacy was envisaged
years ago but it was delayed for various reasons. The trip, which
was to start on August 29 – from Azerbaijan, was being prepared
for two months: the trip program was developed, while Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh expressed their assistance for implementation of the
rapporteur’s visit. Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia sent in advance
the lists of those monuments which must be examined in the three
South Caucasian countries, the NKR and the Nakhijevan Autonomous
Republic. The rapporteurs have already decided which monuments on
the list they would study.

"According to a preliminary agreement, the programs of the visit to
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh were to be sent in the second half of
August 28.

However, the commission secretary’s letter saying that the visit was
cancelled was received prior to that. The reason was the following:
on August 28 the head of the Azerbaijani delegation in PACE issued a
statement, according to which the PACE rapporteur must visit Nagorno
Karabakh via Azerbaijan, whereas prior to that all details had been
clarified through the NKR representative to Armenia, and the RA
National Assembly was to provide transport and other assistance for
traveling to Nagorno Karabakh. By putting forward requirements to the
rapporteur at the last moment, Azerbaijan in fact failed that trip,
and all aires and graces that it was a next in turn postponement –
which is stated in the Azerbaijani press – do not correspond to
reality," the statement reads.

The Secretary General of PACE Mateo Sorinas sent a letter, in which he
informed the RA National Assembly speaker Tigran Torosian that Edward
O’Hara’s visit was cancelled. It was noted in the letter that one of
the causes of the visit’s failure was the problem of entry into Nagorno
Karabakh, that is, what was announced by Azerbaijan on August 28.

According to the statement, "it is obvious that Azerbaijanis are
preventing the rapporteur’s trip to the region in every possible way
because it would be revealed during that trip that many Armenian
monuments have been and are being destroyed in Nakhijevan and
Azerbaijan and that the Azerbaijani statements and leaflets about
destruction of "Azerbaijani" monuments are just aspersion."

The RA National Assembly have expressed a willingness to assist with
the trip at any time.