British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group
15th June 2012
Upper Haik Hammersley Lane
BUCKS HP13 7BY UK
Tel : 01494 816 757 Email : [email protected]
Odette Bazil, Co-Founder and Executive Secretary
PRESS RELEASE
15th June 2012
First visit to the British Parliament by Karabagh Dignitaries.
At the invitation of the British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group
the Rt Hon Ashot Ghulyan MP Speaker of the Karabagh Parliament ,
together with Karabagh Government Culture Minister Narineh Aghbalyan MP
visited the British Houses of Parliament and addressed the BAAPPG , on
the occasion of the twentieth Annual General Meeting of the Group.
The meeting was chaired by the Baroness Cox of Queensbury and attending
were : Her Excellency the Armenian Ambassador Mrs Karineh Kazinian ,
Members of the BAAPPG Group and – although not a Member of the Armenian
Group – the Lord Lea ( Member of the British-Turkish All-Party
Parliamentary Group)
After bringing the AGM proceedings to close, the Chairman welcomed and
introduced the Guests present and invited the Hon Speaker to the floor .
Mr Ghulyan thanked the Chairman for her 78 visits to Armenia and
Karabagh , the Group for organising this visit , the Members present for
their participation to the Delegation’s visit to Karabagh in 2011 and
congratulated Her Majesty on Her Jubilee Celebrations , citing the great
interest and emotions aroused by the pageantry and events in Karabagh.
The Speaker reiterated that this was the First Ever visit to the British
Houses of Parliament by any Karabagh Dignitary , spoke of the
transparency and legality of the Elections in Karabagh( a fact confirmed
– repeatedly – by all International Observers ) and presented a concise
summary of the facts and developments of the conflict in Karabagh.
Mr Ghulyan said that even during the Soviet Era, the Karabagh people had
been asking for their release from a situation where their land had been
given as gift to a third country and that immediately after the collapse
of the Soviet Empire, according to International Law, the people in
Karabagh had held a Referendum and with a 98% majority of the entire
Karabagh population , had opted for self-determination and had declared
its independence. It is then that the Azeri army had attacked the
country , killing without discrimination … and had lost the war.
He said that the present Azeri government is still acting as it was
during the cold war era, endangering the peace and security in the
region, not understanding the language of civil society, putting the
lives of young people – on each side of the border- in danger and ,
although being itself a signatory to a ceasefire which is in reality a
stalemate, attacking at random – even deep in Armenia’s borders –
killing Arrmenian soldiers and civilians ; then retrieving , taking with
them their dead soldiers , blackmailing and holding to ransom ( by using
their natural oil ressources) any organisation who is trying to solve
this complicated situation , attending meetings and agreeing on
compromises to be made and on logical and sensible solutions to be
adopted , then soon after , disregarding their signature , resuming
agression and jeopardizing the peace negotiations .
He said that again and again , since the ceasefire , Karabagh has made
clear that they have no wish for military action and have always
repeated that this conflict must be resolved by means of discussion and
peaceful negotiation.
The Speaker warned that any resumption of conflict will endanger not
only the lives of the peoples of two neighbour countries , but will have
far and deeper reaching results and repercussions for the countries of
the South Caucasus and the world in general.
Asked about the role and success of the OSCE Group in the negotiations ,
he replied that the results were slow to show because Karabagh itself is
not included in the negotiations , explained that the proceedings of
negotiation are carried out on two levels : first the Foreign Ministers
of the two countries meet together with the OSCE Members , then the
summary of talks and results are taken to Presidential levels where the
two Presidents- Sarkissian and Aliyev – meet and try to solve this
complex situation .
Mr Ghulyan added that the huge deals of the Azeri oil make it possible
for Azerbaijan to purchase the latest weapons , this being the reason
why they attack at random and sporadically to jeopardize the ceasefire
and gain time to purchase more and more weapons of destruction . He said
that their deals are often made in the form of barters : oil for weapons
and this causes great concern internationally as lately Lady Ashton has
referred to ” what can escalade to a dangerous and volatile situation in
the region “.
The Karabagh Parliament Speaker said : we did not start this war .
Azerbaijan did. We merely protected and defended our people against the
agressor . We have won the war but we have not gained the peace .
Lord Lea asked his question directed to the Armenian Ambassador “how
does Armenia relate to the Council of Europe?”
Ambassador Kazinian replied : it is only eight months that I have taken
Post in UK and am finding this meeting most interesting . As Mr Speaker
said : Karabagh has won the war but has not won the peace . For peace to
be won great and serious commitment is needed from both sides , from the
European Union and also the United Nations . Lately the Azeri Mission
to the UN has contacted privately each Muslim Country UN Representative
, trying to convince them that the conflict in Karabagh has religious
motives based on the hatred of Karabagh Government and people for the
Muslim Religion .
This is a lie . And this lie is the reason for the latest temporary
success achieved by Azerbaijan in the UN, where almost all Muslim
Countries Mission Representatives have voted against Karabagh and in
Azerbaijan’s advantage . But the Karabagh conflict is NOT a religiously
motivated conflict : the Karabagh war is about one country wanting to
force its rule by military agression on another country who aspires for
Democracy, Self-Determination , Freedom and Independence.
This is not a war about Religion . Azerbaijan knows it well . Religion
has never entered into the context.
Lord Lea asked if that covered also relations with Turkey.
Ambassador Kazinian replied that since the ceasefire between Karabagh
and Azerbaijan , Turkey has closed its borders with Armenia , causing
extreme hardship for the people of Armenia “because of Armenia’s
dealings with a third country” !
This is the only closed borders between two neighbouring countries in
Europe.
When the Armenian President initiated the “football diplomacy” of
rapproachement with Turkey , the Turkish Prime Minister, demonstrating
his goodwill , and the Turkish Football team visited Armenia … the
play took place and … to every Armenian’s regret Turkey won the game
and Armenia lost . This was followed by the meeting in Switzerland –
attended by Heads of EU organisations and also by US Secretary of State
Mrs Hillary Clinton- where the Protocols had to be signed by both
Armenia and Turkey .
Armenia agreed to the Protocols being ” without pre-condition ” and
signed the protocols , pending ratification by the Armenian Parliament .
Turkey too agreed to the Protocols being ” without pre-condition ” and
signed the document , pending ratification by the Turkish Parliament.
While the Armenian President was facing the fierce and angry opposition
expressed by the Armenian Diaspora – which has come to existence only as
the result of the Armenian genocide committed by the Ottoman government
of 1915 and remembers with deep sorrow the families and relatives lost
to that genocide – President Sarkissian remained adamant that the
Protocols must be signed without any pre-condition.
But just in the last and vital stage Turkey refused to ratify the
protocols , fortified its closed borders with Armenia , brought-in new
and additional pre-conditions and created a diplomatic stalemate which
is still in existence , destroying the goodwill created by the
presentation of the Protocols and creating serious concern in Europe and
America .
Ambassador Kazinian expressed hopes that the Karabagh conflict will be
solved by peaceful means , that the Protocols will – after all- be
ratified , that the borders will be opened and diplomatic relations
between Armenia and Turkey will resume .
Baroness Cox added that she too wished that all the refugees could
return to their homes and that the Karabagh people will be able to live
on their land in freedom and in peace with their neighbours.
There being no other business, the Guests were ushered to the Barry Room
of the House of Lords for a banquet to honour the Rt Hon Speaker , Mr
Ashot Ghulyan MP and the Karabagh Culture Minister Narineh Aghbalyan MP.