ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR IN AZERBAIJAN REASON FOR AZERBAIJANI DELEGATION'S ABSENCE - MP
12:56 * 16.03.15
Tevan Poghosyan, an MP of the Heritage party, who took part in the
Euronest Inter-Parliamentary Assembly's fourth session in Yerevan,
commented on Azerbaijani delegates' absence and drew the participants'
attention to the absence of other EU member-states' representatives.
The reason for Azerbaijan delegates' nonparticipation is no secret.
Any Azerbaijani NGO that has in recent years participated in events
with Armenians' participation has to flee Azerbaijan later or had
its members jailed.
"The reason for their not coming to Yerevan is an atmosphere fear.
They preferred nonparticipation to finding themselves persecuted on
returning from Yerevan. I regret that after any program an organization
that had had a meeting with its Armenian partners was charged with
high treason. This atmosphere of fear is difficult to cope with,
and people prefer not coming," Mr Poghosyan said.
An Armenian delegation participated in a Euronest meeting in Baku,
which implies mutual participation, but the agreement was not honored.
As regards the nonparticipation of delegations from France, Spain
and Portugal, Mr Poghosyan said:
"Eastern Partnership is not only six states after all. it is also EU
member-states," he said.
According to him, active involvement of all the 28 EU member-states
would bring real success to Eastern Partnership.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2015/03/16/tevan/1618467
12:56 * 16.03.15
Tevan Poghosyan, an MP of the Heritage party, who took part in the
Euronest Inter-Parliamentary Assembly's fourth session in Yerevan,
commented on Azerbaijani delegates' absence and drew the participants'
attention to the absence of other EU member-states' representatives.
The reason for Azerbaijan delegates' nonparticipation is no secret.
Any Azerbaijani NGO that has in recent years participated in events
with Armenians' participation has to flee Azerbaijan later or had
its members jailed.
"The reason for their not coming to Yerevan is an atmosphere fear.
They preferred nonparticipation to finding themselves persecuted on
returning from Yerevan. I regret that after any program an organization
that had had a meeting with its Armenian partners was charged with
high treason. This atmosphere of fear is difficult to cope with,
and people prefer not coming," Mr Poghosyan said.
An Armenian delegation participated in a Euronest meeting in Baku,
which implies mutual participation, but the agreement was not honored.
As regards the nonparticipation of delegations from France, Spain
and Portugal, Mr Poghosyan said:
"Eastern Partnership is not only six states after all. it is also EU
member-states," he said.
According to him, active involvement of all the 28 EU member-states
would bring real success to Eastern Partnership.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2015/03/16/tevan/1618467