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EU'S RESPONSE TO AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTRY'S PROTEST NOTE PUBLICIZED
Trend
Dec 29 2010
Azerbaijan
The Delegation of the European Union and the Embassy of Poland to the
Republic of Azerbaijan answered the Note Verbale of the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry regarding the visit of the member of European
Parliament Tomasz Poreba to Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Note reads that the services of the EU High Representative/Vice
President, Ms Ashton, had not been informed nor consulted about
the visit, its objectives, program and contacts, the EU Baku office
told Trend.
The European Parliament is an independent institution as EU
institutions are based on a genuine separation of powers, the letter
says. The services of the High Representative/Vice President, Ms.
Catherine Ashton do not have any authority over the European
parliament, nor on the resolutions, reports and individual actions
of the European parliament or its members.
According to the text, since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty
in 2009, the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy,
Ms Ashton, is the main actor defining the EU's Foreign Policy. The
EU respects the international principle of territorial integrity and
believes that visits to the territories of any State should be done in
accordance with international law and in cooperation with the country,
or countries, concerned.
MEP, the keynote speaker on Armenia Tomasz Poreba, visited separatist
Nagorno-Karabakh during his recent trip to Armenia, not informing
official Baku about it.
In Nagorno-Karabakh he held meetings with the leadership of the
unrecognized republic and discussing issues concerning the resolution
of the Karabakh conflict, the situation in the region and bilateral
relations, the Armenian media outlets reported earlier.
In the light of illegal entry to the territories of Nagorno Karabakh,
the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on Dec.21 presented a protest note to
the head of the EU delegation in Azerbaijan Roland Kobia and Polish
ambassador Mikhal Labenda. Tomasz Poreba has been declared persona
non grata by Azerbaijani authorities, and his further visits to the
country are not welcomed.
As Poreba explained himself, he visited Nagorno-Karabakh at his own
initiative to get familiarized with the situation on the scene and
prepare a report.
"As the rapporteur on Armenia, I realized that just having extensive
information about the region I can prepare an objective and
comprehensive report. The main goal of an informal visit to Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh, was to understand the situation on the scene,
but not from outside," Poreba told Trend earlier.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry insists on the need for consultations
with the Azerbaijani side when visiting the occupied territories.
"If Poreba sought to make an unbiased report, before the visit
to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh he had to discuss this issue with
Azerbaijani official circles, know our position and our attitude to
his visit," Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elkhan Polukhov
told Trend.
From: A. Papazian
Trend
Dec 29 2010
Azerbaijan
The Delegation of the European Union and the Embassy of Poland to the
Republic of Azerbaijan answered the Note Verbale of the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry regarding the visit of the member of European
Parliament Tomasz Poreba to Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Note reads that the services of the EU High Representative/Vice
President, Ms Ashton, had not been informed nor consulted about
the visit, its objectives, program and contacts, the EU Baku office
told Trend.
The European Parliament is an independent institution as EU
institutions are based on a genuine separation of powers, the letter
says. The services of the High Representative/Vice President, Ms.
Catherine Ashton do not have any authority over the European
parliament, nor on the resolutions, reports and individual actions
of the European parliament or its members.
According to the text, since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty
in 2009, the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy,
Ms Ashton, is the main actor defining the EU's Foreign Policy. The
EU respects the international principle of territorial integrity and
believes that visits to the territories of any State should be done in
accordance with international law and in cooperation with the country,
or countries, concerned.
MEP, the keynote speaker on Armenia Tomasz Poreba, visited separatist
Nagorno-Karabakh during his recent trip to Armenia, not informing
official Baku about it.
In Nagorno-Karabakh he held meetings with the leadership of the
unrecognized republic and discussing issues concerning the resolution
of the Karabakh conflict, the situation in the region and bilateral
relations, the Armenian media outlets reported earlier.
In the light of illegal entry to the territories of Nagorno Karabakh,
the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on Dec.21 presented a protest note to
the head of the EU delegation in Azerbaijan Roland Kobia and Polish
ambassador Mikhal Labenda. Tomasz Poreba has been declared persona
non grata by Azerbaijani authorities, and his further visits to the
country are not welcomed.
As Poreba explained himself, he visited Nagorno-Karabakh at his own
initiative to get familiarized with the situation on the scene and
prepare a report.
"As the rapporteur on Armenia, I realized that just having extensive
information about the region I can prepare an objective and
comprehensive report. The main goal of an informal visit to Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh, was to understand the situation on the scene,
but not from outside," Poreba told Trend earlier.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry insists on the need for consultations
with the Azerbaijani side when visiting the occupied territories.
"If Poreba sought to make an unbiased report, before the visit
to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh he had to discuss this issue with
Azerbaijani official circles, know our position and our attitude to
his visit," Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elkhan Polukhov
told Trend.
From: A. Papazian