AZERBAIJANI COMMUNITY IN LITHUANIA ENRAGED OVER PARLT GROUP FOR TIES WITH NAGORNO KARABAKH
Baltic News Service / - BNS
February 27, 2013 Wednesday 10:22 AM EET
VILNIUS, Feb 27, BNS - The Azerbaijani community in Lithuania issued a
communique on Wednesday, expressing indignation over the establishment
of a parliamentary group of friendship with the Republic of Nagorno
Karabakh that has not yet been recognized.
The Azerbaijani community says that the conference Lithuania and
Armenia - A Step to Close Past, which was intended to celebrate 25-year
anniversaries of democratic movements in both states, in fact "turned
out to be a manifestation of solidarity with the so-called Republic
of Nagorno Karabakh."
"Under such circumstances, the association Lithuania-Azerbaijan
and the Azerbaijani Community in Lithuania views as unprecedented
and intolerable the conditions allowed during the conference for
an official speech by the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh's 'foreign
minister' and establishment of the Seimas support group for the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh," reads the communique signed by chairman
of the Azerbaijani Community in Lithuania, Mahir Gamzayev, and
president of the association Lithuania-Azerbaijan, Imantas Melianas.
"This does not only discredit your parliament - it can have a sore
effect upon political, economic, cultural and other types of Lithuanian
relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey as one of the most important
Lithuanian allies in NATO. Furthermore, they clearly run counter to the
principles of the European Union's (EU) Eastern Partnership policies
and complicate Lithuania's role in the process," reads the communique.
Meanwhile, initiator of the group, Liberal MP Dalia Kuodyte, said
that the group was not established to support Nagorno Karabakh's
independence but friendship with the region, adding that there were
no contradictions to the official foreign policies of Lithuania.
In the last decade of the 20th century, Azerbaijan and Armenia were
engaged in a long brutal war for the disputed region of Nagorno
Karabakh.
Baltic News Service / - BNS
February 27, 2013 Wednesday 10:22 AM EET
VILNIUS, Feb 27, BNS - The Azerbaijani community in Lithuania issued a
communique on Wednesday, expressing indignation over the establishment
of a parliamentary group of friendship with the Republic of Nagorno
Karabakh that has not yet been recognized.
The Azerbaijani community says that the conference Lithuania and
Armenia - A Step to Close Past, which was intended to celebrate 25-year
anniversaries of democratic movements in both states, in fact "turned
out to be a manifestation of solidarity with the so-called Republic
of Nagorno Karabakh."
"Under such circumstances, the association Lithuania-Azerbaijan
and the Azerbaijani Community in Lithuania views as unprecedented
and intolerable the conditions allowed during the conference for
an official speech by the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh's 'foreign
minister' and establishment of the Seimas support group for the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh," reads the communique signed by chairman
of the Azerbaijani Community in Lithuania, Mahir Gamzayev, and
president of the association Lithuania-Azerbaijan, Imantas Melianas.
"This does not only discredit your parliament - it can have a sore
effect upon political, economic, cultural and other types of Lithuanian
relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey as one of the most important
Lithuanian allies in NATO. Furthermore, they clearly run counter to the
principles of the European Union's (EU) Eastern Partnership policies
and complicate Lithuania's role in the process," reads the communique.
Meanwhile, initiator of the group, Liberal MP Dalia Kuodyte, said
that the group was not established to support Nagorno Karabakh's
independence but friendship with the region, adding that there were
no contradictions to the official foreign policies of Lithuania.
In the last decade of the 20th century, Azerbaijan and Armenia were
engaged in a long brutal war for the disputed region of Nagorno
Karabakh.