Azerbaijani media distort statement of Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs of Lithuanian Republic
Benediktas Juodka, Chair of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Lithuanian Republic issued an official statement in which he confirmed the long-standing position of the Seimas concerning all the protracted conflicts in the South Caucasus.
In particular, Juodka highlighted the necessity of following the international legal principles and rules, such as: non-use of force and peaceful settlement of international disputes, respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for the human rights and fundamental freedoms. As the chairman of the committee notes, this is set in the first part of 135th article of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania as well as in the United Nations Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.
The Azerbaijani mass media and in particular the news agency "Trend" misrepresented statements of Chair of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Lithuanian Republic and willfully "censored" the text of the statement cutting out the abstract about situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Academician Benediktas Juodka also emphasizes that the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe and the European Parliament adopted documents, which urge to give a peaceful solution to the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of the principles of international law.
Chairman of the committee noted that the Eastern Partnership will become a priority in the second half of 2013, during the presidency of Lithuania in the Council of the European Union, and that the third meeting of the Eastern Partnership Summit will be held in Lithuania, and reminded that the protracted conflicts in the Eastern Partnership hinder the economic and political development of the partner countries, as well as the establishment of mutual trust and cooperation, thus the conflict settlement should be one of the most important political objectives of the EU and international organizations. He also noted that a peaceful solution of the Karabakh conflict has no alternative.
B. Juodka stated with confidence that the future relations of Armenia and Azerbaijan with the European Union will deepen, that the Association Agreement provides new opportunities for finding a solution to the conflict. He also spoke for greater and more active involvement of EU in conflict settlement. in the establishing of trustful atmosphere between the conflicting parties. B. Juodka especially emphasizes the role of the OSCE Minsk Group which is trying to find a solution to the conflict.