RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MAY BE DISCUSSED IN OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia is quite interested in the issues put on the agenda of the session. Besides the issues of democracy, fight against terrorism, protection of human rights and free mass media the session will also consider reports on the situation in Moldova and Georgia which are interesting for us too. But the most important question is whether the report of the cochairman of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Goran Lenmarker will be put on the agenda. Up to now there is no information concerning that. Both Armenian and Azeri delegations are going to take the initiative of considering those reports during the session. It is worth mentioning that official Baku was very much alarmed at the draft edition of the report where there was no mention of "Armenian aggression", territorial wholeness of Azerbaijan and Karabakh separatism. Moreover, in the document it was emphasized that the determination of Karabakh's status was to be considered a primary task. Currently, it is unknown what corrections have been made in the report since its submission to conflict parties. Anyway, it is notable that in contrast to their Azeri colleagues, the members of Armenian delegation are not irritated by their inability to forecast the accents of Lenmarker's report. Baku delegates have made several attempts to get in contact with Goran Lenmarker but every time he avoided meeting for various reasons. Azeri deputies intended to take the last attempt to meet Lenmarker on Wednesday but the results are unknown.


If Lenmarker's report is heard, it is quite possible that a special resolution will be passed as a result of discussions. Even if the consideration of the document is postponed till the next session, the delegation from Azerbaijan intends to insist on passing a resolution on Karabakh conflict settlement. The head of the delegation Satar Safarov has already submitted a draft document the approval of which will be promoted not only by Azeris but also by Turks. The text of the document is actually a harder formulation of PACE resolution passed during the winter session. In the document Armenia is viewed as an aggressor country and the ruling regime in Karabakh is termed as separative. The document also mentions about the 20 percents of occupied territories, million refugees, Armenian settlements on the territories under control and of course the appeal to achieve conflict settlement based on the principle of territorial wholeness. This edition of the document has no chances of approval. It is quite obvious that if any resolution on Karabakh is passed in Washington Azerbaijan will not be given the right to suggest formulations.

The Armenian party will take initiatives concerning Karabakh only in case Lenmarker's report is put on the agenda. Armenian deputies will display activity also in case the issue of the recognition of Armenian genocide is raised during the session. It is noteworthy that Yerevan has not made any suggestions concerning that. However it is believed that the issue of Armenian genocide will be touched upon at the session possibly by the initiative of deputies from European countries. Turkey and Azerbaijan are going to hinder that, but unlike the OSCE summits during Parliamentary Assemblies decisions are made by a majority and not by consensus, so there are certain prospects of success.