YEREVAN (ARF Press)–The Armenian National Committee of Europe (CDCA) announced that the Foreign Affairs–Human Rights–Public Security and Defense Policy commission of the European Parliament Wednesday discussed and following several changes adopted a rapport presented by Per Gahrton.
The report–which focused on European Union relations with Southern Caucasus–also focused on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and the Armenian Genocide as well.
The adopted resolution is likely to be discussed in the March session of European Parliament. The ANC of Europe had worked diligently with several key factions within the European parliament–resulting in the adoption of a new approach for the parliamentarians toward the Gahrton’s report regarding the Armenian Genocide.
The adopted report reminds Armenia and Azerbaijan of their undertaking–made in the same context–to step up their efforts to find a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and related issues with the mediation of the Minsk Group; calls for the constructive engagement of the authorities in Stepankert in the peace process–and to refrain from all measures that might prejudice a future solution–calls upon Armenia to refrain from all measures in the occupied Azeri territories that might be interpreted as aiming at making the Armenian control permanent; and
Calls on the neighbouring countries Russia–Iran and Turkey to contribute constructively to the peaceful development of the South Caucasus Region; in this respect especially calls upon Russia to fulfil commitmen’s to downgrade its military presence and calls upon Turkey to take appropriate steps in accordance with its European ambitions–especially concerning the termination of the blockade against Armenia; reiterates in this respect the position in its resolution of 18 June 1987 recognising the genocide upon Armenia’s 1915 and calls upon Turkey to create a basis for reconciliation;
The Chairwoman of ANC Europe Hilda Tchoboyan announced in Brussels that the adoption of the resolution can be deemed a success for the Armenian community–especially the portion dealing with the Armenian Genocide–since the commission reconfirmed provisions of a June 1987 resolution adopted by the European Parliament–urging Turkey to recognize the Genocide as a precondition to membership in the European Community. The ANC of Europe will continue its efforts to enhance the resolution–especialy the protion that addresses the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict–concluded Tchoboyan.