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Armenian delegation protested the 86th Rose Roth seminar of the NATO PA in Baku, in connection with the wordings used by the director of the LINKS NGO Dennis Sammut, which was then followed by the polemics started between Armenian and Azerbaijani delegates.

According to Azerbaijan news agency APA Sammut had stated that in case of Karabakh conflict settlement “the issue should be based on the territorial integrity, self-determination of the peoples” but “Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity has been violated and should be restored.”

As the Azerbaijani media noted, though Sammut’s speech was applauded, the Armenian delegation protested against it.

Thus, the head of the Armenian delegation to the NATO PA Koryun Nahapetyan took the platform. He at first protested against Sammut’s speech, and called the demands of the speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament Ogtay Asadov on returning the “Azerbaijan’s occupied territories” an “aggression”. He demanded that Nagorno Karabakh Republic was also noted as a side of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict together with Armenia and Azerbaijan in these discussions. Koryun Nahapetyan drew attention to self-determination issue of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh.

Thereafter, Executive Secretary of the New Azerbaijan Party Siyavush Novruzov stated that Azerbaijan’s territories “have been occupied by Armenia” and Karabakh “is constituent part of Azerbaijan.”

He also stated that there are more Armenians in California than in Nagorno Karabakh: “Does it mean that another Armenian state should be built there? Armenians are living compactly in over 30 countries of the world. Does it mean that over 30 Armenian states should be built in the world?” Novruzov said.

After Novruzov, Sammut repeated his view and reminded that the conflict is allegedly between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Member of Armenian delegation Tevan Poghosyan Poghosyan accused Azerbaijan of sharing Armenia-Turkey relations and noted that Armenia is actually in blockade. Thereafter, member of Turkish delegation to the NATO PA Ahmet Berat Conkar stated, “Let Armenia withdraw its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, and then we will open the borders.”

Tevan Poghosyan also noted that Dennis Sammut and some other international experts support the position of the official Baku, noting that the seminar is also held in Azerbaijan. Then the Armenian deputy reminded about the four UN Security Council resolutions on Nagorno Karabakh: "I suggest you to get familiarized with the text of the resolution. Please read what is written there, and only then call Armenia an aggressor."

Today, in the capital of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani activist group of "Karabakh Liberation Organization" held a protest against the visit of the Armenian MPs to Baku. As the Azerbaijani portal "Haqqin.az" notes the action took place in front of the Four Seasons hotel, where the Armenian deputies were settled.