PACE rejects Walter’s anti­-Armenian report

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) rejected the report prepared by British parliamentarian Robert Walter (he is no longer PACE member­edit.) “Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan". 66 MPs voted in favor and 70 MPs against the report.

Speeches censuring the anti­-Armenian reports were delivered during the January 26 session of PACE Winter Session. Representatives of European People's Party (EPP), Christian Democratic and Socialist parties voice against the adoption of the reports. French MP Rudy Salles representing EPP stated that representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milica Marković, prepared the report “Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deliberately deprived of water” without visiting the region the report
touches upon.

“Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to go on with the negotiations over peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and such reports may rather hamper the settlement process”, “Armenpress” reports, Salle expressed such a conviction.

Speaking about Robert Walter’s report “Escalation of violence in Nagorno­Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan",
French PM Rene Ruke (Socialist) recalled the statements issues by the OSCE Minsk Group Co­chair states, which find the subversion of Minsk Group format inadmissible. “Instead of supporting the viewpoint of one of the sides, the reporter should rather take steps to reinforce the position of the Minsk Group. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, being an institution enjoying high reputation, must strive to establish non­formal dialogue between the sides”, Ruke said, stating that he will vote against the report. He considers Walter’s report as biased and finds such behavior improper.

Hay Dat office in Europe initiated online public voting in social networks against anti­Armenian reports included in the agenda of PACE. More than 8.000 people participated in the mentioned voting.