LORD RUSSELL JOHNSTON PLANNING TO VISIT KARABAKH CONFLICT REGION EARLY NOVEMBER
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.10.2007 15:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Head of the PACE Ad Hoc Committee on Nagorno
Karabakh, Lord Russell Johnston intends to take a trip to the region
early November. "If terms of the visit fit the schedule of the
Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents, I may be in Baku on 9 November,
but that is not yet confirmed," Lord Russell Johnston told reporters
in Strasbourg Thursday.
"I do not regard my committee as being concerned to mediate on Nagorno
Karabakh. The idea was that we would try and improve contact and
dialogue particularly in the first place between Azeri and Armenian
parliamentarians, possibly to hold seminars in Baku and Yerevan. And
try to improve the relationship," he said.
Despite all efforts, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution will
depend on Kocharian and Aliyev anyway, according to him.
He voiced regret over the cancellation of the regional visit of PACE
rapporteur on cultural heritage, Edward O’Hara. "I told Milli Mejlis
Speaker Asadov that I regretted the fact that the visits planned
both by my committee and the cultural committee had been cancelled
at a short notice. But I hope that the situation could be reasonably
resolved," he said.
"The Council of Europe is also concerned naturally about internal
policies in both Azerbaijan and Armenia. Azerbaijan is fortunate in
having huge economic growth but that should not lead it to neglect
basic democratic questions. Our main concern is about the political
prisoners, some of them are very old and sick. And also journalists’
freedom. There were seven journalists imprisoned recently," Lord
Russell Johnston said, Trend news agency reports.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
