Armenian parliament vice speaker: Adoption of pro-Azerbaijani resolution by PACE not failure of Armenian delegation

 Armenian parliament vice speaker, the head of the Armenian delegation to PACE Hermine Naghdalyan says the adoption of a pro-Azerbaijani resolution by PACE is not a failure of the Armenian delegation. Talking to reporters today, on Nov 24, she commented on the draft resolution "Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deprived of water" passed by the PACE Committee on Social Affairs, on Nov 23. 

"The issue of the Sarsang reservoir was put on agenda of the PACE January Session, which reflects the situation at PACE now. Azerbaijani delegation initiated an anti-Armenian processes that was supported by some personalities and countries at PACE. I disagree with the views that Armenia unlike Azerbaijan is unable to protect its interests," Naghdalyan said. In this light she said that the Armenian delegation has repeatedly entered "a fight" against the Azerbaijani delegation and won it.  Naghdalyan believes that Azerbaijan has faced an unfavorable situation at the OSCE Minsk Group and some other international platform and tries to recoup at PACE. She is sure that boycotting PACE meetings is not the best idea for Armenia.

Naira Zohrabyan, the head of the Parliamentary Committee for European Integration, in turn, said she is sure Armenia can apply any instrument at PACE, up to boycotting, but it is necessary to weigh the efficiency and consequences of such steps.

She said PACE involved 47 countries, and Armenia has the same rights as the remaining 46. Zohrabyan said boycott is a critical measure for the situation when all the other measures are failed. 

To note, on November 23, the PACE Committee adopted another anti-Armenian draft resolution - this time on Sarsang reservoir - "Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deprived of water". APA reports that "the adopted document assesses the deliberate creation of the ecological crisis as 'ecological aggression'. The document also notes that the creation of zones of ecological disaster and an attempt to make it impossible for the normal living of the population in these areas should be seen as a hostile move against one state to another, and condition of Sarsang dam can cause casualties and disasters, accompanied by a new humanitarian crisis". 

Sarsang reservoir was built on Tartar river in 1976. The area of the reservoir is 14.2 km2 (5.5 sq mi). The overall volume of the reservoir is 575 million m The height of the dam at the reservoir is 125 m (410 ft).  The reservoir has the tallest dam out of all dams in Artsakh. Since opening, the reservoir has provided irrigation water for 100,000 ha (1,000,000 km) of agricultural lands in Tartar.  Sarsang Hydro Power Plant with capacity of 50 megawatt is based on the reservoir and operated by Artsakh HEK OJSC. It is the main source of electric  energy for Nagorno- Karabakh Republic (40-60%).  With its beautiful surrounding nature, Sarsang reservoir is expected to be one of the major tourism centers of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in the long run.