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On September 7 the RA NA President Hovik Abrahamyan received the delegation of the ambassadors accredited in the OSCE. The representatives of the political forces represented in the NA attended the meeting.

Welcoming the ambassadors’ visit to Armenia the RA NA President expressed hope that it was a good opportunity for getting acquainted with the issues concerning Armenia, as well as for discussing the issues of common interest. In Hovik Abrahamyan’s word, Armenia highlights the OSCE role in providing security, deepening democracy, reinforcement of human rights and with that, in creating condition necessary for safe and sustainable development of the member countries. Our country actively and constructively takes part in all initiatives, which are aimed at strengthening the legal and institutional bases of the organization. Touching upon the Nagorno Karabakh problem settlement, Hovik Abrahamyan has stressed that Armenia emphasizes the the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ mediation in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement as practical and the only one in the negotiating process. “The basis of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement is the recognition of the right of self-determination of the Nagorno Karabakh people and the realization of that right. Armenia is consistent for the settlement of the problem only through peaceful negotiations, and any attempt of the conflict settlement can have unprecedented consequences not only for the parties of the conflict, but also for the whole region,” the NA President underlined. To his conviction, Azerbaijan roughly violates the international law, the international conventions and agreements, the obligations assumed by itself in international organizations impedes the efforts aimed at the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem, continuously denies the proposals for the solution of the conflict, fails all initiatives directed to the formation of the atmosphere of mutual trust, seriously threatens the peace and security of the region.

Hovik Abrahamyan strictly condemns the fact on transferring to Azerbaijan by the Hungarian authorities Ramil Safarov, who killed the Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan during the NATO seminar in Budapest in February 2004 and sentenced to life imprisonment and the pardon granted to him by the Azerbaijani President, saying that in that connection the RA National Assembly adopted a statement that it would be sent to the international parliamentary organization and the national parliaments. In his word, it is necessary that the international community at least now could not understand that we could not trust any guarantees or promises made by the Azerbaijani authorities even at the highest level, especially if it refers to the security of a man, moreover of an Armenian origin, and we cannot trust a country, where the murder and xenophobia is hailed. To his conviction, Azerbaijan can never be a guarantor of physical security of the population of Artsakh. Hovik Abrahamyan also noted that the Hungarian-Azerbaijani disgraceful deal of releasing Ramil Safarov can negatively influence not only on the whole negotiation process, but also on the regional peace and stability.

Thanking for reception in the ambassadors’ name, Head of Delegation, Ambassador of Ireland Eoin O’Leary noted that the aim of their visit was to get acquainted with the situation and the work done on spot. He has stressed that the OSCE sees the only format for the NK problem and supports the Co-Chairs’ efforts aimed at the settlement of the conflict through peaceful negotiations. He noted that the OSCE had expressed its deep concern in relation to Safarov case.

The U.S. Ambassador Ian Kelly condemned the fact of transferring to Azerbaijan by the Hungarian authorities Ramil Safarov, as well as pardon granted to him by the Azerbaijani authorities and noted that they were concerned about any action, which would endanger the process of the NK conflict peaceful settlement, which to his conviction, should be exclusively solved within the framework of the Minsk Group.

The Russian Ambassador Andrey Kelin, who has stressed that the recent events prove to be gross violations of international law and seriously damage the negotiation process.

In the course of the meeting the sides also touched upon the electoral processes. The NA President noted that the parliamentary elections, which were held in Armenia on May, 2012 had recorded progress compared with the previous ones, to which the international organizations gave a positive assessment. To his conviction, the upcoming presidential elections will be also held in accordance with democratic standards, and the Armenian authorities will do their best to hold free, fair and transparent elections.

The representatives of the NA factions noted in their word that the NA statement had been adopted by political consensus and the deed of the Hungarian and the Azerbaijani authorities dangers not only the peace in the region, but also the negotiation process. They strictly condemned Aliyev’s decree of granting pardon to Safarov, noting that xenophobia, murder on ethnic and religious grounds are encouraged in Azerbaijan, and xenophobia against Armenians is propagandized in that country at state level.

At the end of the meeting the English version of the RA NA statement was given to the ambassadors.