Members of the Azerbaijani Parliament’s permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Elkhan Suleymanov’s interview to APA.
-In The PACE was not adopted a report on “the increase in violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan”. What is your attitude to this?
– I am the author of the both two draft resolutions that discussed in the PACE. Actually, there were three draft resolutions. The first was Robert Walter’s report titled “the increase in violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan “, the second was Milica Markovic’s report titled “Call of Sarsang”. In addition, there was a draft resolution in connection with two Azerbaijanis taken hostage by the Armenian side. However, while the enemy of Azerbaijan, an intriguer, PACE Secretary General Wojciech Sawicki did everything possible to frustrate this project.
The initiated draft resolution attached to the report of Robert Walter, and he prepared the report. One of the points of the project was the requirement from the Armenian leadership for the early release of the two Azerbaijani hostages. This document was approved by an overwhelming majority in the committees. However, the deviation of the project at the last stage was expected.
One of the reasons for this is the lack of the efforts of our diplomacy, media and politicians in this regard. It is noteworthy that Armenia, being an aggressor and occupier, manages to cover up their actions, and in the minds of Europeans drive their “innocence” in this matter. The MPs of several countries-members of the organization during conversations admit that Armenians establish relations with the priests, patriarchs, and religious leaders, representatives of the cultural, social and political leaders of their countries. Armenians determine which deputies may affect it in their homeland, and then, through these persons are asked, persuade them to vote for the position of Armenians. The deputies of the PACE member countries themselves recognize this.
The very statement of the OSCE Minsk Group was a kind of appeal. In this issue the very statement played an important role. In addition, the Chairman of the largest European People`s Party influenced his group after a written request of Sargsyan to him, and called on parliamentarians during internal meetings to vote against this report. All these processes are, of course, predetermined our defeat. Moreover, the Armenians here for 23 years, always and everywhere represent the problem as “Nagorno-Karabakh conflict”. I have many years of struggle with this in the press, television, the parliament. I am against the use of this expression. The base, the strength, the power and the future of this report was associated with his name: ” the increase in violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan.” However, for 23 years, during the discussion of these issues, the term “occupied territories” are not specifically mentioned, but said only “the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.” It is not a conflict, the conflict is a confrontation between the parties. And here we are specifically talking about the occupation. The report specifically noted that the Armed Forces, Armenian separatist forces occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan. That is why Armenia is actively involved presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers, representatives of the governments of the Member States of Council of Europe to the rejection of the bill. In the case of the adoption of the report, its name was able to inform the international community about the subject of matter. For this reason, the Armenian government is seriously and actively seized of the matter. We have witnessed great unfairness, injustice. I believe that this organization – not the abode of democracy, a place where you can do anything you want. They do so today, tomorrow – quite differently. There is the fact of occupation, but they rejected it. I certainly am sorry in this regard. At the same time, we once again we learnt that the hope for justice and relying on the home of democracy, is simply ridiculous. Council of Europe is an organization that has lost its credibility. This organization closes the eyes of the world with false opportunistic resolutions and documents, misleading public opinion.
– PACE adopted the second report – which you are the author of the draft resolution…
We have won an important victory in the second report. I believe that the report is not only on the basis of a draft resolution initiated by me, but it is also the result of work of the Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan (ACSDA). Coordinators of ACSDA operating in the regions of the country on the issue of Sarsang reservoir, sent numerous letters to international organizations due to problems of drinking water, environmental and biological disaster in the region. However, no response has been received from those organizations. That is, there is a strong dislike towards Azerbaijan in Europe in the form of centralized on the issue of occupation of Azerbaijan. Pressure on Azerbaijan on human rights issues, as well as in other matters has only one reason – to distract and to silence us in the issue of liberation of the occupied territories. It always has been so – as soon as Azerbaijan begins to actualize the issue of the occupied territories, they, in turn, tightened the issue of human rights in Azerbaijan.
Apparently, the lots of letters sent from regions, citizens to Ms. Markovic, the meetings held between him and citizens, and other factors contributed to the preparation and adoption of the report. In that report fully reflected the facts of the occupation. For example, Ms. Markovic in one of the paragraphs of the report noted that Armenia, the armed forces of Armenia occupied Azerbaijani territory. It is noted that Sarsang reservoir is located in one of the occupied regions of Azerbaijan. In addition, Ms. Markovic, revealing the problem, notes that in addition to the occupied territories, the Armenians, cutting off the water supply of six districts, create environmental, human and biological catastrophe for the people of the region. Ms. Markovic also notes the need for the immediate withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the pool Sarsang reservoir. I think this is our victory. That report noted that Armenia is an occupant. This is a historic victory for the Azerbaijani people. Despite the fact that one of the reports was rejected, the main goal was the introduction to the agenda the issue of Armenia`s aggressive policy, and we have achieved it. Being the author of the draft resolutions I feel very pleased.