EUROPEAN OFFICIAL REFUSES TO COMPARE KARABAKH TO KOSOVO
Mediamax
Nov 5 2007
Armenia
Yerevan, 5 November: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan and
Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis discussed prospects
for the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict in Yerevan
today. Mediamax reports that Davis and Oskanyan said this during a
news conference following the talks that took place today.
Terry Davis recalled that he was the first rapporteur of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict and that he continues closely following the peace
process.
Talking about the authorities of Nagornyy Karabakh, Terry Davis
described them as a "regime" and "separatists" who he said are no
different from representatives of the "regimes" in South Ossetia,
Abkhazia or the Dniester republic. At the same time, Terry Davis
refused to draw parallels with Kosovo which he said is run by a
temporary administration under the aegis of the UN and is formed in
accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
Terry Davis expressed the opinion that as long as the conflict has
not been settled, residents of Nagornyy Karabakh are deprived of
many rights, for example, the right to address the European Court of
Human Rights.
According to him, a solution to the conflict will allow residents of
Nagornyy Karabakh to enjoy fully all rights and liberties available
to the member states of the Council of Europe. At the same time,
the secretary general of the Council of Europe did not specify how
he sees the solution to the Karabakh conflict.
Terry Davis stated that during his meeting with the prime minister
of Armenia today, he was assured that Yerevan is ready to receive
the mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
[PACE] on the assessment of cultural heritage. At the same time, the
secretary general of the Council of Europe noted that the Armenian side
is ready to receive the mission regardless of whether the Azerbaijani
authorities will give their consent or not.