BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY: “THE TERRITORIES OCCUPIED BY ARMENIA SHOULD BE FREED” – INTERVIEW

APA
July 23 2012
Azerbaijan

Christopher Pincher: “Nagorno Karabakh does not exist like independent
state, so it can’t hold fair and proper elections”

Baku. Victoria Dementieva – APA. The interview of Head of UK-Azerbaijan
Inter-Parliamentary Working Group Christopher Pincher to APA

– How did your visit to Azerbaijan go? What issues were discussed
during the meeting?

– We are part of Parliamentary group for Azerbaijan, member of
Parliament in the UK had an interesting visit to Azerbaijan . Within
3 days we could visit Baku and Gabala and had meetings with British
Ambassador to Azerbaijan, the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Chief
Executive of SOCAR, OSCE office and EU mission to Azerbaijan.

In Gabala we visited piano factory, the “Jala” juice production plant
and also Olympic Sport complex in Azerbaijan. It was very packed
program, which The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) organized for
us and much attention was paid to the details.

I enjoyed Azerbaijan. It has tolerant, respectful and secular society.

And it is rather unique I think. We could visit church, Jewish
synagogue. And it absolutely shows the respect for all the communities,
all religions here.

The regional issues, Nagorno-Karabakh were among the issues we
discussed. We visited the people, who have been displaced, and went
to one IDP camp in Gabala during our visit. They must be allowed
to return their home. The territories occupied by Armenia should be
freed and the army should be withdrawn.

– You touched on Nagorno Karabakh conflict. What is your opinion on
the so called ‘elections’ in Nagorno-Karabakh held on July 19?

– Nagorno Karabakh does not exist like independent state. So it can’t
hold fair and proper elections when people who should have been living
there have been all number exclusively displaced, so it can not be
a proper elections.

– Recently the EU reiterates to be more active in Nagorno-Karabakh
resolution by facilitating the confidence building measures. How the
UK can assist in this process?

– The Great Britain supports the OSCE Minsk Group’s activity. The
British Parliament and British government can make it quite clear
to all international organizations and Armenia that it supports the
rights of the people who have been displaced from their home.

– Are the citizens of the Great Britain aware about the conflict or
not so much?

– It becomes more because of TEAS activity for few years. But it is
truth to say that Armenia because of its Diaspora around the world has
got a lead in bringing its case and Azerbaijan should bring its case
about its rights in frames to Nagorno Karabakh. I think the British
public is hazily aware on the situation.

– How do you estimate the inter-parliamentary cooperation between
the UK and Azerbaijan?

– We have friendly relationship with UK-Azerbaijan parliamentary
relations working group. Certainly, my experience through these 3-4
years I first visited Azerbaijan, this is my third visit to your
country, we have always been welcomed by Azerbaijani parliamentarians
and our good relationship continues.

– Do you have any common projects?

– We hope that Milli Mejlis members will come to London in the next 12
months. We will meet parliamentarians and hope to discuss the future
cooperation. And I think the TEAS also organized a number of debates
that British parliamentaries have attended.

Also in Britain we have a concept of twinning. Our towns twin with
other towns of the world to strengthen friendship. Twin towns realize
school visits which is very good educational facility. As a result of
going to Gabala today I am going to looking to possibility of twinning
my own town Tamworth twin with Gabala. So young children of Tamworth
could visit Gabala and vice versa. It is not my decision to make but
I will propose it to the Mayor and local council.

-The energy sector is one of the main cooperation spheres between
the two countries. How do you see the perspectives of cooperation
between Azerbaijan and the UK?

Energy is an important issue in Britain. We have to be sure that we
have secure supply of energy and diversified it. It is even more
important in the Eastern Europe especially which rely heavily on
Russia -it is important for them to diversify their supplies. So
we very much support what have been done in Azerbaijan to get more
pipelines to get gas into Europe. We have big interest in Azerbaijan.

There are 5 thousand BP employees living and working in Azerbaijan. So
we have very good energy relationship. But I think it is important to
Azerbaijan to develops its beyond hydrocarbons and what it is trying
to do by growing in non-energy products.

And I think Britain can help in areas such designing, construction,
IT, telecoms and also in banking.