PACE REPORTER NOT GIVEN DETAILED PROGRAMME OF VISIT TO ARMENIA, NAGORNO KARABAKH AND AZERBAIJAN

ArmInfo
2007-09-10 12:54:00

PACE Committee’s Reporter on study of the cultural heritage in the
South Caucasus Eddie O’Hara called one more reason of cancellation of
his visit to the region aimed at assessment of the state of monuments
of cultural heritage in the South Caucasus, that is, "no party save
the Georgian one, gave a detailed programme of the reporter’s visit ".

As the informed sources in PACE told ArmInfo, "O’Hara had to cancel
the study visit to the South Caucasus region". The source adds that
the visit which has been in preparation for over a year involved
the three countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) and aimed to
include sites in Nagorno Karabakh and Nakhichevan. It was based on
an Assembly recommendation of 2003 that called for cooperation in
preservation of the cultural heritage. The decision to cancel the
study visit was the result of last-minute problems regarding entry
into Nagorno Karabakh and the lack of detailed programme for all but
the Georgian part of the proposed visit. Mr O’Hara will now report
back to the Committee on Culture, Science and Education which will
discuss what future steps to take.

To recall, the PACE reporter’s visit was scheduled for August 29. The
initiator of the visit was Armenia’s delegation to PACE in view of
destruction of khachkars (cross-stones) in Nakhichevan.

However, the Azerbaijani delegation demanded a mandatory entry to
Nagorno Karabakh from Azerbaijan, which the Armenian party opposed
vigorously.