Whom does Naira Zohrabyan nurse hope?
Yesterday, in Strasbourg, at the regular session of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee final resolution on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, it is enshrined that the European Parliament “fully supports the process of ongoing negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, which is the only internationally recognized format for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in this regard, greatly encourages the Pan-European and other international organizations and institutions to be consistent with the statements of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in their views and on resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh of their opinions in order to thus contribute to the peaceful settlement of the conflict.”
On January 25, as we know, the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is launching, the agenda contains two anti-Armenian reports “The rise in violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories in Azerbaijani” and “Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deliberately deprived of water”. One is about Nagorno-Karabakh and the other – the Sarsang reservoir.
Whether this posture by the European Parliament and the urges addressed to the international organizations can influence the results of the voting in the PACE, in response to this question of “Aravot”, former co-chair of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, member of the Armenian delegation to PACE, Naira Zohrabyan, said that she highlights the fact of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation prior to the PACE session, which is very important for us. Our interlocutor noted that the Committee has consistently referred to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and has always expressed its assistance for the peaceful settlement of the process adding that she highly appreciates the work done by the delegates to the Committee.
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“Whether this resolution will affect the PACE posture or not, it is hard to say as even before now, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs had expressed their concerns regarding the mentioned reports. Let us not also forget the opinion expressed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding the aforementioned reports during his visit to Yerevan but this seems did not prevent the PACE Committees on political and social affairs to ensure that the resolutions should be included in the agenda of the January session. I think the PACE leadership is well-aware of the OSCE co-chairs position, it is wonderfully aware that the only legitimate and professional format dealing with the settlement of the conflict is the OSCE Minsk Group, the PACE leadership does not deny it, simply they are trying to manipulate by saying that thereby they allegedly expressing their assistance to the negotiation process.
This is disinformation and a very ugly manipulation because given reports are directly and upside-down deteriorating the recommendations of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and are diametrically contrary to the content and principles of the negotiation process. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, during these years, have never considered NKR as an occupied territory, which instead, Robert Walter and Melissa Marković decided to consider it,” said Naira Zohrabyan, considering less credible that any statement can affect the delegation member who is initially biased that these reports are shameful disinformation.
Ms. Zohrabyan nurses hope on the PACE delegates who must think of a minute before voting to such disgraceful reports, which although are advisory but their political content will be an opportunity for speculation for Azerbaijan, “My hope is the delegates who must think for a minute that by voting “yes” to these reports, they will harm the negotiation process, will contribute to the growth of border tension and will become the cause of more and more innocent victims. My hope is the PACE delegates who will be guided by their conscience and convictions.”
In the meantime, the members of the Armenian delegation to PACE, our other delegates are actively involved in the “work” with the PACE delegates, so whether there are positive results, in response to our question, Naira Zohrabyan gave a general answer, “The work was carried out on daily basis, at all times, at this stage, of course, much more active. It is difficult to say what outcome to expect. I think we can speak about it only on January 26, in the second half of the day after the vote.” The media reported news that the head of the Armenian delegation to PACE, NA Vice-Speaker Hermine Naghdalyan will be substituted with Samvel Farmanyan. N. Zohrabyan does not consider proper as of today when joint efforts are required efforts “some directed information from somewhere is creeping about the change in the head of the delegation.”
Ms. Zohrabyan nevertheless is unaware of such a conversation, “There has never been even such a remark in the Parliament and inside the delegation.” We wonder to know whether ahead to this important “battle”, the opposition and governments members of the RA delegates are leaving for Strasbourg in solidarity, “Inside the country, we have had different views and different approaches, we have them today too. It is normal but at least in the case of the PACE delegation, although I am sure that it is the same in all delegations, a joint work is going on for the interests of the country. I highly appreciate the great work of all my partners on these days: Levon Zurabyan who does a great job in the team of Liberal- Democrats, Samvel Farmanyan and Mher Shahgeldyan and the rest of the delegates, including numerous partners not involved in the delegation staff, as well as the efforts by Dashnak structures. In these days, all of them are simply doing what is impossible to ensure a positive outcome.”
Nelly GRIGORYAN,
“Aravot” daily
