PACE Rejects One Anti-Armenian Reports, Adopts another One

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PACE_logo_75ppiSTRASBOURG (Armenpress) — The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) rejected a report prepared by British parliamentarian Robert Walter, titled “Escalation of violence in Nagorno Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan,” on January 26, with 66 members voting in favor and 70 against.

However, the assembled adopted a report proposed by Bosnia and Herzegovina representative Milica Marković, titled “Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deliberately deprived of water” without ever visiting the region the report touches upon. As for the water report, 98 MPs voted for, 71 against and 40 abstained.

Representatives of the European People’s Party (EPP), Christian Democratic and Socialist parties spoke against the adoption of the reports.

French MP Rudy Salles representing EPP, said, “Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to go on with the negotiations over peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabagh conflict, and such reports may rather hamper the settlement process,” Salle expressed such a conviction. Speaking about Robert Walter’s report “Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabagh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan,” French member Rene Ruke (Socialist) recalled the statements issues by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair states, which find the subversion of Minsk Group format inadmissible.

“Instead of supporting the viewpoint of one of the sides, the reporter should rather take steps to reinforce the position of the Minsk Group. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, being an institution enjoying high reputation, must strive to establish non-formal dialogue between the sides”, Ruke said, stating that he will vote against the report.

He said he considered Walter’s report as biased and found such actions improper.

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Salles emphasized that Marković prepared the reports without ever being in the region.

Interestingly, the Armenian member of Turkish Parliament Markar Esayan from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), who is known for supporting the Turkish governmental frames, voted in favor of Robert Walter’s failed anti-Armenian report.

 

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