ARMENIA'S PARLIAMENT DISCUSSING ADEQUATE RESPONSE TO AZERI PROPAGANDA
Tert.am
27.02.12
On Monday, Armenia's parliament held an active discussion of the Azeri
lobby's recently intensified activities at the international level,
as well as the Armenia side's adequate response.
Armen Rustamyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations, stressed the need for the parliament to issue a statement
on Nagorno-Karabakh.
In response, Parliament Speaker Samvel Nikoyan said: "If statements
would prevent this practice [international agencies' reports on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict lobbied for by Azerbaijan], we could make
two statements daily. But Azerbaijan will continue its practice
regardless of whether we make statements or not."
"If we do not take any measures against the Azeri propaganda aimed
at distorting the causes of the conflict, we thus allow this process
to 'knock at our door' time and again. Thereafter we have to take
adequate steps," Rustamyan said. He noted that the Azeri lobby has
launched similar activities at the German Bundestag, and the Armenian
parliamentary groups had to address a letter to Bundestag to prevent it
from accepting Azerbaijan's arguments that Armenia allegedly occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory.
"If the Bundestag is holding discussions, we have to talk to them at
the parliament's level," Rustamyan said.
Speaker Nikoyan, however, said again that statements are of no help.
He expects practical steps from the parliamentary opposition.
Mr Rustamyan disagreed with Speaker Nikoyan's opinion. The Constitution
grants such authority to the National Assembly, he said.
"Otherwise, why did we address a letter at all? If the National
Assembly's statements do not matter, how can that letter matter,"
Rusamyan asked.
He believes that such statements may prove a solid basis for Armenian
lobbying.
NGOs, Hay Dat (Armenian Cause) offices are looking forward to such
statements, Rustamyan said.
Tert.am
27.02.12
On Monday, Armenia's parliament held an active discussion of the Azeri
lobby's recently intensified activities at the international level,
as well as the Armenia side's adequate response.
Armen Rustamyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations, stressed the need for the parliament to issue a statement
on Nagorno-Karabakh.
In response, Parliament Speaker Samvel Nikoyan said: "If statements
would prevent this practice [international agencies' reports on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict lobbied for by Azerbaijan], we could make
two statements daily. But Azerbaijan will continue its practice
regardless of whether we make statements or not."
"If we do not take any measures against the Azeri propaganda aimed
at distorting the causes of the conflict, we thus allow this process
to 'knock at our door' time and again. Thereafter we have to take
adequate steps," Rustamyan said. He noted that the Azeri lobby has
launched similar activities at the German Bundestag, and the Armenian
parliamentary groups had to address a letter to Bundestag to prevent it
from accepting Azerbaijan's arguments that Armenia allegedly occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory.
"If the Bundestag is holding discussions, we have to talk to them at
the parliament's level," Rustamyan said.
Speaker Nikoyan, however, said again that statements are of no help.
He expects practical steps from the parliamentary opposition.
Mr Rustamyan disagreed with Speaker Nikoyan's opinion. The Constitution
grants such authority to the National Assembly, he said.
"Otherwise, why did we address a letter at all? If the National
Assembly's statements do not matter, how can that letter matter,"
Rusamyan asked.
He believes that such statements may prove a solid basis for Armenian
lobbying.
NGOs, Hay Dat (Armenian Cause) offices are looking forward to such
statements, Rustamyan said.