Armenian foreign minister blames PACE rapporteur on Karabakh for bias
10.11.2015,
14:18
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan, commenting British Rapporteur Robert Walter’s report, blamed the latter for displaying a biased approach to Karabakh problem.
YEREVAN, November 10. /ARKA/. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan, commenting British Rapporteur Robert Walter’s report, blamed the latter for displaying a biased approach to Karabakh problem.
On Monday, the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) approved a resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh drafted by British rapporteur Robert Walter.
“On a number of occasions I made statements on that, and I will tell once again, that Azerbaijan makes attempts to shift the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement onto other formats,” he said in a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. “The only format that enjoys the mandate of the international community is the mandate, given to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, who are mediators in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.”
Nalbandyan said Armenia’s stance absolutely coincides with that of the Co-Chairs - other structures, organizations should not undertake any efforts that could hinder the peaceful settlement process and, particularly, lead to an increase of tensions in the region.
”In this sense, surely, those attempts to shift the negotiation onto other formats are counterproductive, and you very well understand, that no conflict was ever resolved within the PACE,” he said. “Sergey Viktorovich [Sergey Lavrov] mentioned as well, that there is a confirmed mandate, given to the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.”
The Armenian foreign minister thinks the parties to the conflict should work together with the Co-Chairs so that exceptionally a peaceful settlement is found.
”Regarding the bias, as the rapporteur himself states, one thing is clear here, i.e. the man who was among the friends of Azerbaijan in the British Parliament for a long time, according to the accounts, published in the British media, is financed by Baku from respective funds of Azerbaijan, could not but have a biased stance, particularly, when the very British media wrote about him and some members of his family to have financial and economic interests in Azerbaijan,” he said.
”It was rather strange, that two days before the conclusion of his mission in the capacity of British Parliamentarian, and correspondingly, that of PACE, he decided to make that document up. Practically, one year before the termination of his mandate as rapporteur, he concocted the document. I am not going to give comment on this, as I do not think, he is worth it.”
Nalbandyan reminded that the very Azerbaijani leadership comments on different documents adopted by the PACE in a different manner.
“The recent document on Azerbaijan, which was adopted by that organization, was called “a scrap of paper”, “expression of Islamophobia” by the leadership of Azerbaijan; and as to this document, they present it as sort of a fundamental document of the international relations and international law, almost tantamount to the UN Charter. I leave those comments to the mercy of the Azerbaijanis and their friends.”
Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Karabakh, mainly populated by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan.
On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan.
Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to it.
Some 30,000 people were killed in this war and about one million people fled their homes.
On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations.
Тalks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group are being held over peaceful settlement of the conflict. The group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France. --0-----
On Monday, the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) approved a resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh drafted by British rapporteur Robert Walter.
“On a number of occasions I made statements on that, and I will tell once again, that Azerbaijan makes attempts to shift the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement onto other formats,” he said in a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. “The only format that enjoys the mandate of the international community is the mandate, given to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, who are mediators in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.”
Nalbandyan said Armenia’s stance absolutely coincides with that of the Co-Chairs - other structures, organizations should not undertake any efforts that could hinder the peaceful settlement process and, particularly, lead to an increase of tensions in the region.
”In this sense, surely, those attempts to shift the negotiation onto other formats are counterproductive, and you very well understand, that no conflict was ever resolved within the PACE,” he said. “Sergey Viktorovich [Sergey Lavrov] mentioned as well, that there is a confirmed mandate, given to the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.”
The Armenian foreign minister thinks the parties to the conflict should work together with the Co-Chairs so that exceptionally a peaceful settlement is found.
”Regarding the bias, as the rapporteur himself states, one thing is clear here, i.e. the man who was among the friends of Azerbaijan in the British Parliament for a long time, according to the accounts, published in the British media, is financed by Baku from respective funds of Azerbaijan, could not but have a biased stance, particularly, when the very British media wrote about him and some members of his family to have financial and economic interests in Azerbaijan,” he said.
”It was rather strange, that two days before the conclusion of his mission in the capacity of British Parliamentarian, and correspondingly, that of PACE, he decided to make that document up. Practically, one year before the termination of his mandate as rapporteur, he concocted the document. I am not going to give comment on this, as I do not think, he is worth it.”
Nalbandyan reminded that the very Azerbaijani leadership comments on different documents adopted by the PACE in a different manner.
“The recent document on Azerbaijan, which was adopted by that organization, was called “a scrap of paper”, “expression of Islamophobia” by the leadership of Azerbaijan; and as to this document, they present it as sort of a fundamental document of the international relations and international law, almost tantamount to the UN Charter. I leave those comments to the mercy of the Azerbaijanis and their friends.”
Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Karabakh, mainly populated by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan.
On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan.
Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to it.
Some 30,000 people were killed in this war and about one million people fled their homes.
On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations.
Тalks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group are being held over peaceful settlement of the conflict. The group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France. --0-----
