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PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA: KARABAKH HAS BEEN, IS, AND WILL REMAIN A PART OF EUROPE
Panorama
June 22 2011
Armenia
"Naturally, no one may question the inherent right of the people of
Karabakh to live freely and safely on their land and to be the masters
of their destiny. Thus, what can be expected of the Council of Europe?
First of all, not to harm the process. The short-term impact of
uninformed debates allows the parties to avoid lasting solutions that
could otherwise emerge in the peace talks in the frameworks of the OSCE
Minsk Group," President Serzh Sargsyan said in his address to PACE.
"I am confident that the overwhelming majority of our colleagues at
the PACE, who have expressed or will express a desire to discuss any
issue related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, have done or will
do so out of good will. However, some can still act on the basis of
inadequate information, which can indeed undermine the process.
Therefore, I urge all of you to exercise some restraint. The main
guidance should be the principle of causing no harm.
Regardless of different visions for the final resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, one thing is certain. Karabakh has been,
is, and will remain a part of Europe, albeit unrecognized. Do we
realize that society in Karabakh today is a part of European society,
a part of the European family regardless of the de-jure status of
Karabakh? Has the time not come for the Council of Europe to engage
directly with Karabakh in terms of its primary functions of protection
and promotion of human rights, formation of civil society, democracy,
tolerance, and the like? Would it not be much more logical if the
Council of Europe first engaged with Karabakh before expressing a
desire to discuss matters related to Karabakh, with the participation
of the people of Karabakh in such discussions?"
Panorama
June 22 2011
Armenia
"Naturally, no one may question the inherent right of the people of
Karabakh to live freely and safely on their land and to be the masters
of their destiny. Thus, what can be expected of the Council of Europe?
First of all, not to harm the process. The short-term impact of
uninformed debates allows the parties to avoid lasting solutions that
could otherwise emerge in the peace talks in the frameworks of the OSCE
Minsk Group," President Serzh Sargsyan said in his address to PACE.
"I am confident that the overwhelming majority of our colleagues at
the PACE, who have expressed or will express a desire to discuss any
issue related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, have done or will
do so out of good will. However, some can still act on the basis of
inadequate information, which can indeed undermine the process.
Therefore, I urge all of you to exercise some restraint. The main
guidance should be the principle of causing no harm.
Regardless of different visions for the final resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, one thing is certain. Karabakh has been,
is, and will remain a part of Europe, albeit unrecognized. Do we
realize that society in Karabakh today is a part of European society,
a part of the European family regardless of the de-jure status of
Karabakh? Has the time not come for the Council of Europe to engage
directly with Karabakh in terms of its primary functions of protection
and promotion of human rights, formation of civil society, democracy,
tolerance, and the like? Would it not be much more logical if the
Council of Europe first engaged with Karabakh before expressing a
desire to discuss matters related to Karabakh, with the participation
of the people of Karabakh in such discussions?"