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EUFOA WARNS ARMENIA AGAINST STEPPING INTO AZERI PROVOCATION TRAP
PanARMENIAN.Net
September 6, 2012 - 14:37 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) strongly welcomes
the unprecedented condemnations of Azerbaijan's anti-Armenian
xenophobia by all European institutions and the international
community.
"We are appalled that the open provocation and physical threat by
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev against Armenia and Armenians
around the world has put the Karabakh conflict to the next level of
escalation. This may be in the short term internal political interest
of the President, who is facing "elections" in 2013. However, given
his autocratic and so far unchallenged power base, the risk for him
and his country and the damage caused stand in no relation to the
short-lived political gain achieved through anti-Armenian nationalism
and xenophobia. In the light of these events and following the
repressions which became apparent during the Eurovision contest in
Baku, EuFoA demands that the EU finally accepts that it must treat
Azerbaijan more critically than Belarus, which is known to have the
same internally repressive regime style, but without Azerbaijan's
militarisation or the state-promoted xenophobia. We were informed
and strongly welcome that the EU's Foreign Ministers will debate
the issue at their upcoming GYMNICH meeting and that the European
Parliament will debate an urgency resolution next week," EuFoA says.
"Why we implement EU funded programs with the oil-rich and notoriously
anti-democratic government of Azerbaijan and conclude large-scale
energy deals with them, while we apply sanctions against Belraus
cannot be explained to European voters" commented EuFoA Secretary
General Dr Michael Kambeck. "Towards Armenia we can only direct the
warning not to step into the provocation trap which Aliyev has set up.
I share the emotions for calls to now take harsh steps against
Azerbaijan, but Armenia should be like a clever chess-player and keep
an eye on the long-term interests."
EuFoA also calls for steps to mend the relations with Hungary in time.
"While the extradition decision was at least very naïve, Hungary and
Armenia share hundreds of years of historic ties and are both old
Christian countries. Azerbaijan's dirty game should not be allowed to
destroy such links. Hungary is a bridge between Eastern and Western
Europe and will need Armenia to enlarge this function. Armenia will
need Hungary for the upcoming EU visa-facilitation decision and later
for the Association Agreement. We welcome that the Hungarian government
has quickly issued the strongest condemnation and that the Armenian
President has called for a stop to burn Hungarian flags. Now some
work needs to be done behind the scenes to overcome the problem,"
EuFoA says.
From: Baghdasarian
PanARMENIAN.Net
September 6, 2012 - 14:37 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) strongly welcomes
the unprecedented condemnations of Azerbaijan's anti-Armenian
xenophobia by all European institutions and the international
community.
"We are appalled that the open provocation and physical threat by
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev against Armenia and Armenians
around the world has put the Karabakh conflict to the next level of
escalation. This may be in the short term internal political interest
of the President, who is facing "elections" in 2013. However, given
his autocratic and so far unchallenged power base, the risk for him
and his country and the damage caused stand in no relation to the
short-lived political gain achieved through anti-Armenian nationalism
and xenophobia. In the light of these events and following the
repressions which became apparent during the Eurovision contest in
Baku, EuFoA demands that the EU finally accepts that it must treat
Azerbaijan more critically than Belarus, which is known to have the
same internally repressive regime style, but without Azerbaijan's
militarisation or the state-promoted xenophobia. We were informed
and strongly welcome that the EU's Foreign Ministers will debate
the issue at their upcoming GYMNICH meeting and that the European
Parliament will debate an urgency resolution next week," EuFoA says.
"Why we implement EU funded programs with the oil-rich and notoriously
anti-democratic government of Azerbaijan and conclude large-scale
energy deals with them, while we apply sanctions against Belraus
cannot be explained to European voters" commented EuFoA Secretary
General Dr Michael Kambeck. "Towards Armenia we can only direct the
warning not to step into the provocation trap which Aliyev has set up.
I share the emotions for calls to now take harsh steps against
Azerbaijan, but Armenia should be like a clever chess-player and keep
an eye on the long-term interests."
EuFoA also calls for steps to mend the relations with Hungary in time.
"While the extradition decision was at least very naïve, Hungary and
Armenia share hundreds of years of historic ties and are both old
Christian countries. Azerbaijan's dirty game should not be allowed to
destroy such links. Hungary is a bridge between Eastern and Western
Europe and will need Armenia to enlarge this function. Armenia will
need Hungary for the upcoming EU visa-facilitation decision and later
for the Association Agreement. We welcome that the Hungarian government
has quickly issued the strongest condemnation and that the Armenian
President has called for a stop to burn Hungarian flags. Now some
work needs to be done behind the scenes to overcome the problem,"
EuFoA says.
From: Baghdasarian