ARFD LABELS OSCE REPORT ON KARABAKH AS SHAMEFUL
PanARMENIAN.Net
March 25, 2011 – 14:20 AMT 10:20 GMT
Head of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group Vahan Hovhannisyan
has labeled the OSCE Field Assessment Mission’s report as shameful.
“The most shameful extract is the one saying that Armenia doesn’t
populate the territories adjacent to Nagorno Karabakh,” Hovhannisyan
said. “ARFD has been for several years calling on the authorities
to initiate settlement of these lands. Should these be inhabited,
the conduct of the international community and Azerbaijan would
be different.”
For her part, Prosperous Armenia Naira Zohrabyan called on the
mediators to put things right. “We will not make any statement unless
the OSCE Minsk Group puts forth proposals that can secure progress
in Karabakh talks,” she said.
The report developed and presented by the OSCE MG Co-chairs fails to
notice the rapidly developing infrastructure of Artsakh as well as
the development of economic, cultural and social sectors.
The report says, “In traveling more than 1,000 kilometers throughout
the territories, the Co-Chairs saw stark evidence of the disastrous
consequences of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the failure to
reach a peaceful settlement. Towns and villages that existed before
the conflict are abandoned and almost entirely in ruins. While no
reliable figures exist, the overall population is roughly estimated
as 14,000 persons, living in small settlements and in the towns of
Lachin and Kelbajar. The Co-Chairs assess that there has been no
significant growth in the population since 2005. The settlers, for
the most part ethnic Armenians who were relocated to the territories
from elsewhere in Azerbaijan, live in precarious conditions, with poor
infrastructure, little economic activity, and limited access to public
services. Many lack identity documents. For administrative purposes,
the seven territories, the former NK Oblast, and other areas have
been incorporated into eight new districts.”
As the co-chairs believe, “the harsh reality of the situation in the
territories has reinforced the view of the Co-Chairs that the status
quo is unacceptable, and that only a peaceful, negotiated settlement
can bring the prospect of a better, more certain future to the people
who used to live in the territories and those who live there now.”
The Co-Chairs urge the leaders of all the parties “to avoid any
activities in the territories and other disputed areas that would
prejudice a final settlement or change the character of these areas.”
They also recommend that “measures be taken to preserve cemeteries
and places of worship in the territories and to clarify the status
of settlers who lack identity documents.” The Co-Chairs intend “to
undertake further missions to other areas affected by the NK conflict,
and to include in such missions experts from relevant international
agencies that would be involved in implementing a peace settlement.”
From: A. Papazian