ARMENIAN MP: COUNCIL OF EUROPE MAY HINDER KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS BY MAINTAINING SOME PROVISIONS IN REPORT ON AZERBAIJAN

ArmInfo
2008-06-24

"The Council of Europe may hinder the Karabakh peace process within the
frames of the OSCE Minsk Group if it maintains some conflict-relate
provisions in the report on Azerbaijan", Armen Rustamyan, a member
of the Armenian delegation to PACE, the chairman of the standing
parliamentary commission for external relations, said to ArmInfo
correspondent.

Rustamyan noted that he intends to make a speech during the hearings
on the report and draw attention to the part of the document, which
refers to the resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh passed at the United
Nations General Assembly on GUAM’s initiative. "By maintaining
these provisions in the document, the CoE will play a role of an
authoritative arbitrator in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict", he
said. Furthermore, the MP stressed that when referring to the UN
document, it would be fair to take into consideration other documents
of the UN as well, particularly, the fundamental Charter of the United
Nations which gives a distinct formulation of the idea of people’s
right to self-defence and self-determination. "The Nagorno- Karabakh
people gained their independence and protect it on the basis of this
very provision", Rustamyan said.

To recall, the draft resolution "On Functioning of Democratic
Institutions in Azerbaijan" being discussed at the June 24 session
of PACE, points out that the Assembly takes into account the UN GA
resolution on the situation in occupied territories of Azerbaijan,
the resolution supports the internationally acknowledged borders of
Azerbaijan and demands immediate withdrawal of Armenian troops from
the occupied territories.