PACE PRESIDENT: I DID NOT SPEAK OF AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IN BAKU

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.07.2008 18:04 GMT+04:00

It’s not the first time when Azeri media represented statements by
CoE and PACE members torn out of the context, Mr Lluis Maria de Puig,
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,
said in a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"I did sound the position of the Council of Europe which rates
territorial integrity of all its member states as one of basic
principles. At the same time, the CoE supports the right of nations
to self-determination. Each conflict has its peculiar ways of
settlement. For instance, Montenegro gained independence through the
right to self-determination," he said.

"As to Nagorno Karabakh, we think that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs
do their utmost for resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and
we welcome their endeavors. PACE stands for dialog between Armenia and
Azerbaijan and is ready to join the settlement talks if the sides issue
a request. I do repeat that we support a peaceful way of settlement,"
the PACE President said.

Earlier this months, some Azeri media quoted Mr de Puig as saying
that the "Council of Europe supports the territorial integrity and
inviolability of Azerbaijan’s borders" and that "PACE calls on Armenia
to quit the occupied territories of Azerbaijan immediately and without
any preconditions."