CoE urged to launch mechanisms of influence on Armenia

Azerbaijani MP called on the Council of Europe to launch the mechanisms of influence on Armenia to restore the rights of Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs.

This opinion was expressed on the first working day of the spring session of PACE by the member of Azerbaijani delegation in the organization Ganira Pashayeva to the chairman of the Committee of Ministers, Minister of Great Britain for European Affairs David Lidington.

MP Ganira Pashayeva asked a question related to the occupation of Shusha and Lachin by Armenians 20 years ago.

Pashayeva noted in her question that in a few days will be the 20th anniversary of the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani towns of Shusha and Lachin. "For 20 years, Armenians do not allow thousands of Azerbaijanis to return to their native lands. Why does not the Council of Europe launch the mechanisms of pressure and influence on official Yerevan to make Armenians leave Azerbaijan's occupied lands and let thousands of Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs return to their homes?", she asked.

Lidington answered that the quicker the ways for the resolution of the conflict will be found the quicker the difficulties of IDPs and refugees will end.

According to Lidington, refugees and internally displaced persons have the right to return to their homes. The Council of Europe doesn't have the same authority as the OSCE Minsk Group with regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Lidington believes that officials of the both countries should withdraw from the harsh statements and improve their efforts to find ways to resolve the conflict within the Minsk Group.


/Trend/