Elkhan Suleymanov: The motion for resolution demanding the application of sanctions against Armenia will place PACE before a historical choice
As you know, USA, European Union, and Council of Europe applied sanctions against Russia following the developments in Ukraine. Even the Resolution 1990 (2014) adopted by PACE on April 10, 2014 suspended voting rights of Russian delegation and excluded it from its leading bodies. Undoubtedly, we seriously thought over the failure to apply similar sanctions against Armenia, which keeps Azerbaijani territories under occupation, for long and to show the support as in Ukraine’s case. The application of sanctions against Russia regarding the developments in Ukraine encouraged us to raise our just demands. Thus, a motion for resolution under my authorship was tabled in PACE on the application of similar sanctions against Armenia due to the fact that it keeps Azerbaijani territories under armed occupation. The motion reads: “Because of respect for one single standard in PACE, we call on the Assembly to adopt exactly similar sanctions against Armenian delegation in PACE, suspending voting rights and excluding it from leading bodies, until the end of illegal occupation of Azerbaijani territories.”
As you know, USA, European Union, and Council of Europe applied sanctions against Russia following the developments in Ukraine. Even the Resolution 1990 (2014) adopted by PACE on April 10, 2014 suspended voting rights of Russian delegation and excluded it from its leading bodies. Undoubtedly, we seriously thought over the failure to apply similar sanctions against Armenia, which keeps Azerbaijani territories under occupation, for long and to show the support as in Ukraine’s case. The application of sanctions against Russia regarding the developments in Ukraine encouraged us to raise our just demands. Thus, a motion for resolution under my authorship was tabled in PACE on the application of similar sanctions against Armenia due to the fact that it keeps Azerbaijani territories under armed occupation. The motion reads: “Because of respect for one single standard in PACE, we call on the Assembly to adopt exactly similar sanctions against Armenian delegation in PACE, suspending voting rights and excluding it from leading bodies, until the end of illegal occupation of Azerbaijani territories.”
It should be noted that some PACE members didn’t show the same support to Azerbaijan in the application of sanctions against Armenia as it was the case for Ukraine and avoided to sign the document for different excuses during the signing of the motion. Nevertheless, the motion was signed by 58 PACE members from 14 states. It should be noted that the signature of 58 PACE members representing different European countries confirmed once more the fact that there are enough objective members in PACE. By the way, I am grateful to all my colleagues, who supported justice by signing the motion for resolution.
Finally, this motion for resolution was sent to PACE Secretariat for inclusion in the agenda 14 days prior to the session, then was included in the agenda for discussion in the Presidential Committee and Bureau and placed in the website of the Council of Europe. This document is the first motion for resolution demanding the application of sanctions against Armenia for its occupation of Azerbaijani territories, tabled in an international organization, i.e. within PACE for 22 years.
According to the Rules of Procedure, the motion for resolution will be discussed in the Presidential Committee on June 22 and in the Bureau on June 23. There may be two developments. First development, the motion is discussed in the Bureau after opinion by the Presidential Committee and referred to Political Affairs Committee or Monitoring Committee for information or appointing a rapporteur. Undoubtedly, referring of the motion to the Committee for information would be a further obvious example of discrimination against Azerbaijan. Second possibility, PACE President may veto the issue, thus any possible discussion and report on the application of sanctions against Armenia will be prohibited.
Although the great number of MPs signing the motion for resolution is morally restricting PACE President Ms. Anne Brasseur’s right to veto, there is still probability and it can’t be excluded. Hopefully, she will respect her status and won’t discriminate.
You can rightly ask: what to do if PACE President uses her right to veto in order to prevent sanctions against Armenia?
We have witnessed that Council of Europe and other international organizations do not distinguish between the occupier Armenia and Azerbaijan, subject to occupation for many years. We always faced efforts to form negative image of Azerbaijan on the international level through constant, deliberate and biased pressures against our country for different pretexts every time when we raised a question on Armenian occupation within international organizations. On the one hand, these pressures aimed at guarding Armenia and ensuring its immunity and on the other hand, at engaging Azerbaijan and the world community with secondary issues and achieving that the obvious occupation of 20% of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia will be perceived as final and consolidated.
I believe that the motion for resolution demanding the application of sanctions against Armenia will place PACE before a historical choice. Thus, if the decision of PACE leadership on applying sanctions against Armenia is objective, this decision will demonstrate the steps of the organization towards putting an end to discrimination and double standards. On the contrary, the prevention of sanctions against Armenia will indicate disrespect to democracy, rule of law, equality of rights of countries and other principles stated in PACE, and that the organization serves corporative interests. In such a case, this organization will unmask itself on the international level. Subsequently, as a citizen, I consider the membership of our country in such an organization useless.
Finally, I would like to note that a voice of Sarsang benefiting from the ACSDA project at last continues with the appointment of a rapporteur in PACE.
The main purpose of this appointment is to develop a report on the evaluation of damage to surrounding regions, its possible humanitarian tragedy and crisis due to the occupation of Sarsang water reservoir. It should be emphasized that the report to be developed on Sarsang water reservoir will be considered the first international document regarding the strategic buildings being under occupation.
At the same time, ACSDA is implementing a large-scale project towards informing the world community about the realities reflecting the 110thanniversary of genocide crimes committed by Armenians against Azerbaijanis. The website www.1905.az functions in 12 languages within the project. It is planned to publish books in different languages, hold international conferences, and place articles on the world media, and some steps have already been taken in this direction. All these measures are considered as a strike to Armenians’ policy of disinformation of the world community.
Elkhan Suleymanov
Member of Azerbaijani Delegation to PACE
