German MEP Martin Sonneborn visits Artsakh on fact-finding missionAugust 30, 2018 - 10:41 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - On the initiative of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD), Martin Sonneborn (NI, Germany), a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), his head of office Dustin Hoffmann and journalist Claudia Toursarkissian are on a fact-finding mission in Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh, accompanied by EAFJD President Kaspar Karampetian and EAFJD executive director Heghine Evinyan. Within the framework of the visit, the delegation led by MEP Sonneborn has been received by the President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Masis Mayilyan, Minister of culture, youth and tourism Lernik Hovhannisyan, the Speaker of the National Assembly Ashot Ghulyan and a number of deputies representing all the political fractions in the Parliament. MEP Sonneborn and his staff also had an exchange of views with members of the “Friendship Group with Europe” of the Artsakh National Assembly. During the meetings, the importance of such fact-finding missions was emphasized as a contribution in breaking the isolation imposed on the people of Artsakh and obtaining first-hand information about the reality in the country and the democratic developments in it. The sides discussed the issue of the Azerbaijan - Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the role that the European Union and its member states should play in the peaceful settlement of the conflict. It was stressed that no sustainable solution to the conflict could be found without actively engaging the people of Artsakh in the peace process and without listening to them. The sides mentioned also the extreme importance of having a functioning civil society in the country which can consolidate the democratic institutions. Commenting on the visit EAFJD President Kaspar Karampetian stated: “As long as the European Union doesn’t pay official visits to Nagorno-Karabakh, we have to multiply our initiatives to strengthen the Parliamentary diplomacy between Artsakh and the European Union and its member states. The fact-finding missions that we organise aim to build bridges and promote the fundamental rights of the people in Artsakh. To give them voice is a top priority for us.” Later, the delegation led by MEP Sonneborn visited the demining international organization in Nagorno Karabakh - the HALO Trust and the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies in Stepanakert. On August 27, before arriving in Artsakh MEP Sonneborn and his team had a number of meetings in Yerevan, among them with MP Armen Ashotyan, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly and the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, with whom they discussed the new political situation after the peaceful transition of power in Armenia and a number of issues related to the stability and peace in the region. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. |