The problem is not only sending delegates with Eurasian orientation to PACE
Recently, the report on the Sarsang reservoir passed by the Social Commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) exceeds with its anti-Armenianism the report on Karabakh “The Rise in violence in Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan”. Note that the two reports are due to be discussed at the PACE winter session in January. The draft text of the anti-Armenian resolution of the Sarsang reservoir has already been published. It is entitled “Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deliberately deprived of water”. Author Milica Markovic, delegate of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The draft resolution contains a term, “occupation by Armenia of Nagorno-Karabakh”. In particular, it reads, “The Assembly deplores that the occupation by Armenia of Nagorno-Karabakh and other adjacent areas of Azerbaijan creates similar humanitarian and environmental problems for the citizens of Azerbaijan living in the Lower Karabakh valley.” The clause on requests of the draft resolution reads, “the immediate withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the region concerned, thus allowing access by independent engineers and hydrologists to carry out a detailed on-the-spot survey; international supervision of the irrigation canals, the state of the Sarsang and Madagiz dams”. In fact, this draft resolution stipulates all the cornerstone statements that are sounded from the lips of Azerbaijani delegation during the PACE sessions.
Moreover, the draft resolution also condemns the politics of the Armenian delegation. “The Assembly firmly condemns the lack of co-operation of the Armenian parliamentary delegation and the Armenian authorities during the preparation of this report. The Assembly regards such behavior as inconsistent with the obligations and commitments of a country which is a full member of the Council of Europe.” The political analysts mainly have the same posture on this document. Everyone thinks that it is anti-Armenian, and the adoption of such draft will bring no good to Armenia’s foreign policy.
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Director of the Center for Regional Studies, political analyst Richard Giragosian, in an interview with “Aravot”, although does not attribute much importance to the PACE, however, believes that the EU is a more influential body, but at the same time notes, “Sometimes we make mistakes in the foreign policy. But we should not endanger us with so many useless reports.” We asked RA NA “Heritage” faction MP Tevan Poghosyan whether the matter indeed is in the composition of the delegation as one after the other we have defeats in PACE, Mr. Poghosyan replied, “We should look for the problem not in the delegation but the work of the system with international organizations. We need to elaborate a system where the NA, diplomatic institutions and diaspora will be able to work jointly to protect the interests of Armenia at the international instances.”
Tevan Poghosyan stated that Azerbaijan has formed a lobbying system, which we do not have. “It was done it with money or caviar, it is not essential. The fact is that we do not have this system.” Back to the role of the Armenian delegation to PACE, Tevan Poghosyan noted, “The role of this delegation is similar to the situation of the boys standing in the frontier when it is the same who will substitute them; nothing will work out if you do not have a rear.” In response to our reminder that maybe the criticism is appropriate that it was not necessary to send delegates with the European orientation to PACE, Mr. Poghosyan replied, “It is also a systemic problem. If you are going to work for the CIS parliaments, you should realize what views and values possessing people and system you are sending. We should realize how this person should be perceived and work. But this approach does not work with us as the domestic political issue are primary for us. Very often, they are trying to cast the blame on one another, to find out whether Poghos is guilty or Simon.”
To our observation whether the acceptance of such anti-Armenia consecutive reports to PACE is the “fruits” of Armenia’s accession to the EAEU, Tevan Poghosyan responded, if had only associated it with EaEU, then there would be no renewal of the RA-EU negotiations and the US investments. According to Tevan Poghosyan, even if we had signed an Association Agreement and this system would work, it’s all the same, there were going to be such resolutions in the PACE. We reminded the MP that the member of the Armenian delegation to PACE, Naira Zohrabyan, recommended her opponents to go and work in the PACE, and asked whether Tevan Poghosyan is ready to go to work as formulated by Naira Zohrabyan in “Milli Mejlis,” Mr. Poghosyan responded, “I have never evaded any work, but we should understand that this is a matter of coordination of the work. It is wrong to look for a problem of whether people are working well or not. But if it comes to Tevan Poghosyan personally, then I have never evaded any work.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN,
“Aravot” daily
