Euronest not to deal with conflict settlement issues

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS: Settlement of conflicts is beyond the functions of Euronest, co-chairman of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Education, Culture and Civil Society of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly Artak Zakaryan told the reporters February 23.

"We have insisted from the very beginning about the necessity to avoid any formulations about conflicts," Zakaryan said. The MP stressed that consent has been reached over the issue: Euronest is not a place to discuss conflicts, the Nagorno Karabakh issue in particular. "When our Azerbaijani partners tried to forward the issues, the response was more than clear: these issues will not be discussed here," the MP said.

While the Lithuanian co-chair of the Committee Laima Liucija Andrikiene, who is member of the European Parliament as well, stated that the European Parliament discusses different issues. "We do not have taboos, we are discussing the protracted conflicts, human rights issues," she told Armenpress.

The Lithuanian MP expressed conviction that the parliamentary assemblies are institutes where it is necessary to build consensus and not only offer imperative solutions.

Andrikiene also stressed that she had very constructive meeting with President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. "Issues were voiced over civic society, upcoming elections and Nagorno Karabakh issue. It was clearly stressed that the NK issue should be solved on the basis of well-known three principles. Our conversation was very calm, those who asked questions, received concrete answers," Andrikiene said.