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EU RESPONDS TO PROTEST AT MEP'S KARABAKH VISIT
news.az
Dec 29 2010
Azerbaijan
The EU office in Baku has responded to a note from Azerbaijan's Foreign
Ministry over a visit by a Polish MEP to the occupied territories.
Polish MEP Tomasz Poreba, the European Parliament's head rapporteur on
Armenia, began a visit to separatist Nagorno-Karabakh on 19 December,
where he met the leadership of the unrecognized republic and discussed
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict and the situation in the
region.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry officially presented a note of
protest to the head of the EU office in Azerbaijan, Roland Kobia,
and Polish ambassador Michal Labenda over the visit.
On 28 December the EU office and Polish embassy said in their reply
that the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine
Ashton, had not been informed about the visit.
"The European Parliament is an independent institution, as the EU
institutions are founded on the principle of the full separation
of the branches of power. The office of the high representative/EU
vice-president for foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine
Ashton, has no authority whatsoever over the European Parliament
and the resolutions, reports and individual actions of the European
Parliament or its members," the reply said.
"The EU respects the international principle of territorial integrity
and thinks that visits to the territory of any state should be made
in line with international law and in collaboration with the country
in question," it continued.
Earlier, on 23 December, Roland Kobia expressed regret on behalf of
the European Union at the problems caused by the visit and said that
the EU would respond officially to the note of protest.
Baku objects to visits by politicians, tourists and others to the
Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and the occupied area around
it which have not been agreed with the Azerbaijani authorities first.
From: A. Papazian
news.az
Dec 29 2010
Azerbaijan
The EU office in Baku has responded to a note from Azerbaijan's Foreign
Ministry over a visit by a Polish MEP to the occupied territories.
Polish MEP Tomasz Poreba, the European Parliament's head rapporteur on
Armenia, began a visit to separatist Nagorno-Karabakh on 19 December,
where he met the leadership of the unrecognized republic and discussed
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict and the situation in the
region.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry officially presented a note of
protest to the head of the EU office in Azerbaijan, Roland Kobia,
and Polish ambassador Michal Labenda over the visit.
On 28 December the EU office and Polish embassy said in their reply
that the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine
Ashton, had not been informed about the visit.
"The European Parliament is an independent institution, as the EU
institutions are founded on the principle of the full separation
of the branches of power. The office of the high representative/EU
vice-president for foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine
Ashton, has no authority whatsoever over the European Parliament
and the resolutions, reports and individual actions of the European
Parliament or its members," the reply said.
"The EU respects the international principle of territorial integrity
and thinks that visits to the territory of any state should be made
in line with international law and in collaboration with the country
in question," it continued.
Earlier, on 23 December, Roland Kobia expressed regret on behalf of
the European Union at the problems caused by the visit and said that
the EU would respond officially to the note of protest.
Baku objects to visits by politicians, tourists and others to the
Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and the occupied area around
it which have not been agreed with the Azerbaijani authorities first.
From: A. Papazian