RA Vice-Speaker: We should increase pressure on int`l organizations on Nagorno-Karabakh issue

ArmInfo. The adoption of the resolution on Lachine Corridor by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is very important. Ruben Rubinyan, Vice-Speaker of the RA National Assembly, head of the Armenian delegation to PACE, stated on June 26 at a press conference.

According to him, PACE has clearly recorded that at present there is no free and safe movement along the Lachin corridor. Prior to the development of the document, the rapporteur visited Armenia, observed the corridor from the side of the Republic of Armenia, stating that there was no free entry into the corridor, which was reflected in the resolution. The document emphasizes that Azerbaijan blocked the supply of gas and electricity to Artsakh, indicating the presence of humanitarian problems. The resolution also speaks of the unacceptability of the words of hatred that are heard from Baku, making an appeal to the neighboring country about the rights and security of the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh. In this regard, PACE called on Azerbaijan to start a direct dialogue with Stepanakert using international mechanisms.

Rubinyan also said that the Azerbaijani delegation did everything to change the resolution or fail its adoption. Moreover, out of about 60 amendments proposed by Azerbaijan, 99% were rejected.

Answering the question about Yerevan's mid-term expectations from the adoption of the resolution, the Vice-Speaker noted that the adoption of such documents should be considered as one whole, complementing each other. "There is no such decision by an international organization that would allow us to immediately solve our problems, but we must increase pressure on these organizations. In particular, this resolution can be used in litigation. In the medium term, it is difficult to talk about the benefits that the PACE resolution can bring, but in the long term, with the use of pressure mechanisms, significant results can be achieved>, Rubinyan said. He also added that PACE MPs have already begun to make statements that whether Azerbaijan will maintain its membership in the Council of Europe after all this.

The Vice-Speaker also touched upon the issue of the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation process. According to him, from the beginning of the tourist season, the land borders of both states should be opened for citizens of third countries with diplomatic passports. The Armenian side is working to activate the Margara checkpoint, taking measures for arrangement of all infrastructures. <Very soon this work will be completed. The Armenian side hopes that Ankara will fulfill the reached agreement, and during the summer these agreements will be put into practice>, the Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia said.

He noted that the process is progressing, and from time to time, as necessary, negotiations are held with Turkey's special representative Serdar Kilic, despite the fact that there is no agreement on a new meeting yet.