Such reports seriously undermine PACE’s authority – Hermine Naghdalyan

No opinion of a need for approving an anti-Armenian report entitled “Escalation of Violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and Other Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan” by Robert Walter (United Kingdom, EC), a rapporteur of the PACE Political Affairs Committee, was actually voiced, Head of the Armenian delegation to PACE Hermine Naghdalyan told Tert.am.

According to her, it was only noted that border tension has continued for a year, and PACE must step in and show its attitude.

“We presented numerous arguments that we have had unilaterally ordered reports before, and practice shows that such reports do not in any way facilitate improvement of the situation or confidence-building.

They are just shelved documents, which actually undermine PACE’s authority,” Ms Naghdalyan said.

She stressed that the Turkish-Azerbaijani lobby and serious financial investments have turned PACE into the only international organization “calling white black.”

“This organization is ignoring the facts, unable to make a real assessment of any facts. While all international organizations have consistently been severely critical of Azerbaijan elections and state of democracy, PACE has been the only organization calling them perfect,” Ms Naghdalyan said.

She confirmed that Armenian delegation member Armen Rustamyan stated that he did not think he was present at PACE. Rather, he believed he was at Azerbaijan’s parliament.

“And there was no response to his statement,” Ms Naghdalyan said. 

The Armenian delegation’s proposal for appointment of a new rapporteur who would prepare an unbiased report was rejected.

“We presented facts from the British and US press, excerpts from debates at the US Congress proving that the rapporteur faced a rather serious clash of interests, being involved in investment projects in Baku through his wife, which is incompatible with the PACE Rules of Procedure. According to the PACE Rules of Procedure, rapporteurs, their family members must not have any economic, financial or other common interests with the countries their reports deal with,” Ms Naghdalyan said.

Nevertheless, she noted that by means of this anti-Armenian report Azerbaijan is seeking wordings it needs, but the Armenian delegation will try to change the atmosphere at the plenary session.

A similar situation developed a few months ago, when Azerbaijan was seeking to have another report approved, with wordings it needed. However, the Armenian delegation succeeded in preventing that.

“It was another attempt, and I think that we are going to see further similar attempts. So we should mobilize efforts and work with the reasonable and honest members of delegations to PACE, who appreciate both the organization’s reputation and their personal reputation, and try to change the situation at the plenary session by means of them,” Ms Naghdalyan said.