Tweet
EURONEST SESSION SPARKS DEBATE BETWEEN ARMENIAN, AZERI MPS
Tert.am
23.02.12
At the Euronest Social Affairs Committee's offsite session held in
Yerevan on Wednesday, a group of Armenian and Azerbaijani lawmakers
started a heated debate over the regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.
It came after Azay Guliev, a member of the Azerbaijani Majilis,
reiterated his country's stance on the above issue, accusing Armenia
of occupying 20% of his country's territories.
The Armenian lawmakers characterized the statement as "the same old
story that has bored everyone to death".
Guliev particularly said that his country has a constructive approach
and is ready to cooperate on humanitarian, cultural and other issues.
Naira Zohrabyan of the coalition Prosperous Armenia party faction in
National Assembly noted, however, that she had never before heard
about Azerbaijan's constructive approach. Participants from the
Eastern Partnership member states also shared her point.
"What we all have known so far is that Azerbaijan rejected any
cooperation proposal with Armenia in the Eastern Partnership format,
and there is oral, as well as written evidence to prove that,"
Zohrabyan said.
Guliev agreed to her remark, noting in the meantime that the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been the main obstacle to cooperation.
"We do everything possible for cooperation, but it is necessary to
remember that 20% of our territories are occupied, and we have more
than 1 million refugees," he claimed.
To prove his country's willingness for cooperation, the Azerbaijani
lawmaker referred to the Nabucco project, in which Armenia is not
a stakeholder.
Zohrabyan objected to him, noting that the Azerbaijani side points
to a project that does not involve Armenia as a partner.
"The finally admitted that they are ready for such regional cooperation
that does not involve Armenia," she said.
Addressing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Artak Zakaryan and Hovhannes
Sahakyan of the ruling Republican Party faction said the issue is
within the competence of the Minsk Group, not Euronest.
Sahakyan proposed conducting a civil society monitoring in each Eastern
Partnership member state to understand the general situation and draw
up future plans.
Larisa Alaverdyan of the opposition Heritage party faction said the
civil society circles of three South Caucasus republics (Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia) actively cooperated between 1992 and 2002.
"Instead of the experience exchange that is being proposed, it is
necessary to resume cooperation based on the existing experience,"
she said.
Tert.am
23.02.12
At the Euronest Social Affairs Committee's offsite session held in
Yerevan on Wednesday, a group of Armenian and Azerbaijani lawmakers
started a heated debate over the regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.
It came after Azay Guliev, a member of the Azerbaijani Majilis,
reiterated his country's stance on the above issue, accusing Armenia
of occupying 20% of his country's territories.
The Armenian lawmakers characterized the statement as "the same old
story that has bored everyone to death".
Guliev particularly said that his country has a constructive approach
and is ready to cooperate on humanitarian, cultural and other issues.
Naira Zohrabyan of the coalition Prosperous Armenia party faction in
National Assembly noted, however, that she had never before heard
about Azerbaijan's constructive approach. Participants from the
Eastern Partnership member states also shared her point.
"What we all have known so far is that Azerbaijan rejected any
cooperation proposal with Armenia in the Eastern Partnership format,
and there is oral, as well as written evidence to prove that,"
Zohrabyan said.
Guliev agreed to her remark, noting in the meantime that the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been the main obstacle to cooperation.
"We do everything possible for cooperation, but it is necessary to
remember that 20% of our territories are occupied, and we have more
than 1 million refugees," he claimed.
To prove his country's willingness for cooperation, the Azerbaijani
lawmaker referred to the Nabucco project, in which Armenia is not
a stakeholder.
Zohrabyan objected to him, noting that the Azerbaijani side points
to a project that does not involve Armenia as a partner.
"The finally admitted that they are ready for such regional cooperation
that does not involve Armenia," she said.
Addressing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Artak Zakaryan and Hovhannes
Sahakyan of the ruling Republican Party faction said the issue is
within the competence of the Minsk Group, not Euronest.
Sahakyan proposed conducting a civil society monitoring in each Eastern
Partnership member state to understand the general situation and draw
up future plans.
Larisa Alaverdyan of the opposition Heritage party faction said the
civil society circles of three South Caucasus republics (Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia) actively cooperated between 1992 and 2002.
"Instead of the experience exchange that is being proposed, it is
necessary to resume cooperation based on the existing experience,"
she said.