Analysis: Azerbaijan trying to regain the losses of Walter’s report at PACE
Coming session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is going to be intense, where anti-Armenian processes have already begun. PACE spring session will launch on April 18, Strasburg to last until April 22. As mentioned earlier, a discussion on Nagorno Karabakh conflict was requested to be included in current affairs section.
“The recent and tragic escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict” title for the discussion published in the PACE website on April 11, was quite unbiased.
Yet, according to another publication on the website, PACE received two other suggestions to consider, first being “The last and tragic escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict” and “The tragic escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan”.
The second title was clearly suggested by Azerbaijani and possibly corrupt European parliamentarians with the input of PACE President, Pedro Agramunt.
This is the formulation Azerbaijan is desperately trying to pass in PACE without any success.
Earlier in 2015, during the summer session of the PACE, Pedro Agramunt came up with a report on “The functioning of democratic institutions in Azerbaijan”. In the first paragraph, Agramunt stated, “The Assembly is fully aware of the occupation by Armenia of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other provinces of Azerbaijan”. When presenting his report, Agramunt noted that his colleagues could make any changes, except the part on “occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other provinces of Azerbaijan by Armenia”. Fortunately, the provision was removed and rewritten “the Assembly if fully aware of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict”.
The formulation “Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan” has been suggested also by notorious British parliamentarian, Robert Walter, who reported on “Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan”. The fate of this report is also well known. Walter’s report was rejected with 70 votes against.
The formulation suggested by Azerbaijan was again rejected by PACE. In a few days it will be clear what the coming session will bring.
In terms of procedure, the PACE Bureau must discuss both suggestions prior to the launch of the session and decide on the title of the discussion on Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Bureau may come up with another suggesting which will be sent for the approval of the Assembly.
Members of the Assembly have the right to object the Bureau’s decision.
The final agenda will be decided on the opening day of the session. The discussion on Nagorno Karabakh situation place on April 21, as soon as the title is decided and approved.