Catherine Ashton prefers dynastic power transfer in Azerbaijan to democratic elections in NKR

 July 19, 2012 - 15:48 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Today, July 19, the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic is electing President. The three candidates running for presidency are: current leader Bako Sahakyan; NKR MP, ex-deputy defense minister Vitaly Balasanyan; Armenian State Agrarian University’s Stepanakert Subsidiary pro-rector Arkady Soghomonyan. Dozens of international observers from Transdniestria, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Czech Republic, Russia, U.S., France, Cyprus, Argentina, Uruguay, and Canada are monitoring the polls.

In view of the above, July 18 statement by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission Catherine Ashton sounds unexpected.

As Ms Ahton said, “the European Union does not recognize the constitutional and legal framework in which the elections will be held.”

“These elections should not prejudice the determination of the future status of Nagorno Karabakh in the negotiated general framework of the peaceful settlement of the conflict,” the EU representative said.

Ms Ashton also added a few words about Karabakh conflict settlement. “I call on the parties to step up their efforts to find a negotiated solution to the conflict on the basis of the Madrid principles, which would allow progress beyond the status quo. I reiterate the EU's readiness to provide further support to efforts in this direction,” she said.

Turns, out, the representative of the European Union, democracy and human rights champion, believes that normal democratic elections in Artsakh might stand in the way of Karabakh conflict settlement. Somehow, mock “elections” in Azerbaijan, which practiced hereditary power transfer don’t bother Ms Ashton, while normal competitive elections in Artsakh do.

Tired of reminding that Nagorno Karabakh has never been a part of independent Azerbaijan’s territory, one might ask, how does she see the life in the independent Artsakh? How should the republic form its power structure? Should it follow in the footsteps of Azerbaijan, practicing dynastic power transfer to be recognized by the EU?

In the light of the above-mentioned facts one finds it hard to believe in the absence of double standards in the policies “democratic states”’ leaders who’re ready to turn a blind eye to violations of human rights and even crimes to achieve their own energy-related goals.