BAKU: Terry Davis concerned that peaceful means for solution ended

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 29 2008

Terry Davis: `I concern when I hear that peaceful means for solution
of Nagorno Karabakh conflict have ended’

[ 29 May 2008 15:46 ]

Strasbourg. Fuad Gulubeyli-APA. Secretary General of the Council of
Europe Terry Davis addressed the plenary meeting of the CE Congress of
Local Regional Authorities on May 28.

After his address, Mr. Davis answered the questions of participants
and touched upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict too. Davis said that he
had visited Azerbaijan and Armenia for the several times and learned
the conflicts in the South Caucasus. `I was shocked when I saw living
conditions in the refugee camps in Azerbaijan. I expressed my ideas at
the official meetings with the leaders of both countries and I think
it gave its results. Certain work has been done for improvement of
living conditions of refugees since than. The root of this problem is
between Azerbaijan and Armenia and relates to the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. There was war between these countries and both sides
suffered from it. In that time Europe had no information about the
details of this conflict. It was not discussed there because Europe
was at work upon former Yugoslavia and crimes committed there though
same events were happening in the South Caucasus too. Now the
situation is so that we try to protect human rights in both Azerbaijan
and Armenia and intends for soonest solution of the conflict. While
entering the Council of Europe, both countries took obligations for
peaceful solution of the conflict and I very concern when I hear that
peaceful means have ended and one of the sides is going to take
military measures. In such cases I would put forward the initiative
for the CE Committee of Ministers to take necessary measure, because
it would be violation of obligations taken before the Council of
Europe’. Terry Davis advised to the conflict parties, as a friend of
both Azerbaijan and Armenia, to look forward for future not forgetting
the past. `I don’t say that you must forget the past, but you need to
look forward for finding solution to the conflict’.