YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)– The offers made by the OSCE Minsk Group are pro-Azeri–vice-speaker of the British Parliament’s House of Lords–Baroness Caroline Cox –told a news conference late last week.
Baroness Cox recently paid her 38th visit to Armenia and 39th visit to Nagorno Karabakh. Upon her visit to Armenia–Baroness Cox briefed the Armenian foreign minister–Vardan Oskanian–on the steps she’d taken towards the international recognition of the 1915 Genocide of Armenia’s. The sides also reportedly discussed the results of the visit to Karabakh–as well as issues regarding medical aid to Karabakh and public awareness of the Karabakh problem. Oskanian highly appreciated the humanitarian activities of Caroline Cox.
Cox told reporters about the political and humanitarian activities of Christian Solidarity–an organization led by her. In particular–she said that not long ago she raised the issue of the recognition of the Genocide of Armenia’s before the British Government. The British Government acknowledges that pogroms did take place–but there is not sufficient evidence to designate these pogroms as genocide. The baroness intends to collect evidence and present it to the British Government.
The "Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia in 1997" report drawn up by the "Doctors for Human Rights" organization–describes the maltreatment and torture of Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan that have continued to date.
The report–according to Cox–again testifies to the fact that it is impossible for the Armenia’s of Karabakh to remain under Azeri rule. Cox also said that a book by Andrew Boyd–"Baroness Cox: Voice for the Voiceless"–was published recently. "This is not a book about me–but about those in Nagorno Karabakh–Birma and Sudan," she explained.
Baroness Cox pointed out that during her latest visit she was accompanied by doctors–teachers and students of British schools. In particular–the chairman of the "Cure" humanitarian organization–James Jackson–and surgeon Terry Fill visited five hospitals in Stepanakert and one hospital in Mardakert. They admired the professional skill of the doctors–but the lack of drugs and medical equipment made a painful impression on them. Since it is impossible to reconstruct all old hospitals–the British doctors offered their assistance to Karabakh’s government in purchasing some medical devices and drugs as well as in constructing a new hospital. Upon returning to Britain–they will urge other humanitarian organizations to join them in health programs.