“Exactly, this is the reason”, such opinion was expressed by Emin Yeritsyan, the Head of the Armenian delegation to the Council of Europe’s (CoE) Local and Regional Authorities Congress, in response to the question of Aravot.am of whether the fact that the CoE Local and Regional Authorities Congress has passed the next anti-Armenian document in the session on “Separatism tension in Ukraine and in Neighboring Countries”.
Note that a few days ago, the Congress passed a resolution, which highlights the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova and inviolability of internationally recognized borders. Mr. Yeritsyan presented some details of the meeting. In particular, the agenda item was the inseparability in Ukraine and the neighboring countries. The discussion was attended by representative of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine, and Azerbaijan as a presiding country.
According to Mr. Yeritsyan October. “The wording is not dangerous, but in the beginning it was written in general and we were able to make correction to list the countries that attended”. As informed by Mr. Yeritsyan, “The European institutions are trying to involve Azerbaijan and Armenia in anti-Russianism on Karabakh issue, as this is the purpose of the original campaign.” However, the Head of the Armenian delegation to the Congress sees moderateness on this issue, because after his speech, for the second time the minister of Azerbaijan refused to speak. Actually, he had not understood the meaning of the agenda, and tried to use the Congressmen as an audience, but when they realized that it is an anti-Russian campaign, they started to keep themselves passive.
To our question of whether the Europe will revenge to Armenia, he replied, “Not only in CoE but also in the EU, regardless of political and personal ties, all European countries, following the instructions, are performing anti-Russian activities. They are trying to play which of the countries, Azerbaijan and Armenia, will pose an anti-Russian stance to involve them. It’s not a punishment, but a signal and provocation to involve in this anti-Russian process.”
To our observation of whether it is only the matter of the policy adopted by the CoE, or thanks to the practices of the Commission it was possible to prevent the adoption of the resolution, Mr. Yeritsyan responded, “It is an interstate problem. They apply by the interstate level of who is willing to talk. No European structure rejects. Hence, in this case, our diplomatic institutions should have worked. It is neither the task of the PACE nor the delegates to the Congress. When a decision is reached to make a step in this direction, no delegation of a country, especially, for example, Armenia, which is small, cannot prevent it. In the voting for Russia, the Russian delegation remains alone. All the 46 states, except for Armenia, and one or two individuals, regardless of how they treat Russia, voted against. Basically, it is an agreed and organized process, and even in case of diplomatic solutions, it is difficult to withstand it, because the European countries act in mobilized way.”
Mr. Yeritsyan is concerned that in the result of these developments Armenia may possibly not have partners in the European structures. “They invite officials from Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine, and make strong political statements against Russia during the discussions, and it seems like they go beyond the limits, regardless of whether they are moderate politician or not. In this sense, there is a very strong mobilization on the anti-Russian ground, in this case, Azerbaijan also joins. This is where we are left alone. This is the dangerous development that it is goes further, we would not have partners in the European structures at all.” To our observation whether we would be isolated, Mr. Yeritsyan replied, “It turns out to be an isolation, since they are united and organized in their actions.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
