YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Chairman of the parliamentary commission for foreign relations–Hovhannes Igitian–said that the Council of Europe’s interparliamentary assembly adopted a resolution in Strasbourg recently which declares the principle of territorial integrity in relation to the conflicts in the Caucasus and self-government for Karabakh and Abkhazia within Azerbaijan and Georgia.
The ninth line of the resolution asks for the return of occupied territories and release of prisoners.
According to Igitian–the Karabakh conflict cannot be considered from the point of view of territorial integrity. This principle must be applied in the settlement of interstate conflicts. Problems with former subjects of the state should be solved on the self-determination principle–Igitian said.
Igitian called on the media to break the erroneous statemen’s made in relation to Armenia’s foreign and internal policy. He also admitted that the impression of Armenia as a democratic state has weakened.
Igitian said that the debates and opinions made by the discussion of the possible opening of a Russian military base in Armenia is mainly caused by the anti-Armenian campaign launched in Russia.
