NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ARMENIA CLARIFIES

Lragir, Armenia
Aug 30 2007

On August 30 the National Assembly of Armenia clarified the
cancellation of the visit of the PACE reporter Edward O’Hara to study
the state of the cultural heritage of the South Caucasus.

"Considering the media reports on the cancellation of the visit of
the PACE reporter Edward O’Hara to the region to study the cultural
heritage of the South Caucasus, as well as the groundless explanations
in the Russian media, the National Assembly considers it necessary to
present the reality," the press release of the National Assembly runs.

"The visit which was to start on August 29 from Azerbaijan had been
prepared for two months. The schedule of the visit was made, the
Republic of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic stated to support the
reporter during the visit. The reporters had chosen the monuments to
study, and the visit would be on August 29. However, the letter of the
secretary of the commission came which told the visit was cancelled.

The reason is one. On August 28 the head of the Azerbaijani delegation
to the PACE released a statement that the reporter must visit
Nagorno-Karabakh via Nagorno-Karabakh, meanwhile all the details had
been discussed with the representative of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to
Armenia, and the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia was to
provide transport to Nagorno-Karabakh and other support. By offering
conditions at the last moment, Azerbaijan in fact upset the visit
and the Azerbaijani media reports on recurrent delay are not true,"
runs the news release of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly asserts in the news release its willingness to
support the visit any time, which will be discussed in the meeting
of the PACE commission.