NALBANDIAN: ARTSAKH IS WAY AHEAD OF AZERBAIJAN IN TERMS OF FREEDOMS
March 12, 2015 11:38
Photo: Press service of the Armenian President
Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said
that according to the Freedom House report on the Freedom in the
World in 2015, Nagorno-Karabakh is way ahead of Azerbaijan in terms
of fundamental freedoms.
He stated it addressing a speech at the special meeting of the OSCE
Permanent Council.
“On May 3, 2015 the people of Nagorno-Karabakh for the sixth time
will exercise their democratic right to elect members to the National
Assembly. The democratic processes in Nagorno-Karabakh are not meant
to influence the peace process or anyhow add to its international
recognition, as was referred by some participating states also here at
one of the last PC meetings. Building of democracy based on fundamental
human rights and freedoms anywhere in the world should only be welcomed
by other democratic members of the international community,” said
the Armenian FM touching upon the upcoming parliamentary elections
in Artsakh.
Recalling the Freedom House report and taking into account the current
human rights situation in Azerbaijan, Edward Nalbandian said that
it “does not come as a surprise when Baku criticizes elections in
Nagorno-Karabakh.”
“However, sometimes a few participating States while declaring about
their support the Minsk Group Co-Chairs at the same time are resorting
to the statements that contradict the spirit and terminology of the
peace process. The Co-Chairs have been clear to note that through the
electoral process “Nagorno-Karabakh tries to organize democratically
the public life of its population,” said the FM.
He called on all on all participating States to follow the Co-Chairs’
wording, not only in the case of elections in Nagorno-Karabakh, but
on other matters related to that issue as well, since “any deviation
from their language may mean taking the sides in this dispute.”