Video proves German ex-envoy's remarks on yacht-clubbing observers in Baku (video)

 February 5, 2014 - 16:00 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Stepanakert hosted an international conference Artsakh Liberation Struggle: From Gulistan Till Our Days October 4-5.

The event, held in the framework of the 25th anniversary of Karabakh national liberation struggle, welcomed acclaimed scientists from Arsakh, Armenia, Russia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, among other countries.

Former German ambassador to Armenia, Hans-Jochen Schmidt, addressed the conference, reminding that that in 1920s Armenians made up 90% of the population of the Nagorno Karabakh; however, in the 80s, it was reduced to 72% as a result of Soviet leadership’s demographic policies.

The German diplomat also emphasized that Baku uses the refugees as a tool of pressure, while preventing their integration into the society.

Dwelling on current conflicts, the diplomat noted that those in Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transdniestria are not similar. “To cope with the conflicts, EU developed unified policies of the Eastern Partnership and Associated Membership, trying to use the same approach in dealing with different issues.” As he further noted, Azerbaijan’s consul general in Stuttgart invited Germans to participate in the monitoring mission during the presidential elections; however, some observers spent most of their time at a Baku yacht club.

Half a year later, on February 2, Vestnik Kavkaza published an interview with Otto Hauser, German ex-Secretary of State, currently Honorary Consul of Azerbaijan in Stuttgart, the very same person mentioned by Schmidt.

“A few months ago, PanARMENIAN.Net referred to you as well. The agency, quoting German ex-Ambassador Hans Johan Schmidt, says that you invited German observers for last year's presidential elections in Azerbaijan and they spent most of their time in the country having fun,” the news source noted during the interview.

Says Houser: “I was horrified reading that article. I am not acquainted with the German ex-ambassador to Yerevan. This is why such reports are absolute fiction and lies. I demanded that ex-Ambassador Schmidt write a note taking his words back. In his response, he assured me that those words were made up and he had never said them. The ex-ambassador expressed regret over the publication. Which makes it clear that there are people and propagandists who feel no shame about obvious lies. It is sad to see what childish methods they use.”

Some diplomats have a steady habit of going back on their words. There’s no telling whether this is a case in the interview, or Azeri journalists, as usual, “added” to the interviewee’s remarks. Luckily, in the 21th century, events get recorded and archived.

PanARMENIAN.Net has a video of the Schmidt’s address, where everyone with a little command of English can hear what he has to say about the consul and yachts, with no further comments necessary.