PACE CHAIRMAN: "PACE IS READY TO ASSIST TO RESOLUTION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT IN THE FRAMEWORK OF ITS MISSION"

Today.Az
July 25 2008
Azerbaijan

PACE is ready to assist to resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict
in the framework of its mission and activity principles, said PACE
chairman Luis Maria de Puig at the meeting with Armenian parliament
speaker Tigran Torosyan.

"Though PACE has not played a special role in the conflict resolution,
it is ready to assist in this issue in the framework of its mission
and activity principles and fully supports the approaches of the OSCE
MG co-chairs", a source from the public relations department of the
Armenian Parliament reports with reference to de Puig.

The PACE chairman confirmed the position of the organization,
in line with which the conflict should be settled on the basis of
two regulations of the Helsinki Final Act- right of nations for
self-determination and principle of territorial integrity, by way of
peaceful negotiations in line with international law with any armed
settlement ruled out.

According to de Puig, he spoke of the said approach in Baku as well. He
confirmed that the demand to execute resolution 1416 which also fixes
these principles is still in force.

Speaker Torosyan voiced concerns around Nagorno Karabakh issue. Taking
into account that as the PACE chairman must voice his position
based on PACE’s opinion, Torosyan stressed the commitments, which
Armenia and Azerbaijan undertook in 2001 while joininf the Council
of Europe, whose execution must be controlled by the rapporteurs of
the monitoring group.

"PACE resolution 1416 notes that any territory can separate from the
state lawfully on the basis of people’s will, that is the national
right for self-determination. At the same time, it is noted that
no Assembly member-states can not join any country, which is the
principle of territorial integrity of the country", reminded Torosyan.

The speaker also noted that the CE Committee of Ministers, which
released the document, directly referring to paragraphs 4 anf
8 of the Helsinki Final Act regarding the right of nations for
self-determination and territorial integrity of the states, also
responded to the said resolution in 2005.

The parliament chairman reminded that PACE resolution 1316 contained
appeal to stop propaganda of hatred, hold joint meetings for discussion
of problems.

"However, the resolution was not effective by some unknown reasons. In
the result, the PACE rapporteurs, who were too engaged and not familiar
with all details and peculiarities of the problem included regulations,
going beyond the previous PACE resolution, to the recent resolution on
Azerbaijan", reminded Torosyan stressing importance of the execution
of resolution 1416 for the conflict settlement.