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On July 12, delegation led by the RA NA Vice President Eduard Sharmazanov, comprised of the RA NA deputies Edmon Marukyan and Vahan Harutyunyan took part in the Third Summit of Presidents of Parliaments of Central and Eastern Europe Countries in Warsaw.
Stanislaw Karczewski, the Marshal of the Senate and Marek Kuchciński, the President of Sejm of Poland met the delegation led by the RA NA Vice President.
Eduard Sharmazanov delivered a speech in the Summit, noting:
“Dear Colleagues
Ladies and gentlemen
The chosen fromat is a unique platform that gives the parliamentarians from Central and Eastern European countries an opportunity to meet at high level and discuss the challenges our continent faces today.
This year is remarkable for many countries. Armenians and their Polish brothers and sisters celebrate the 100th Anniversary of regaining their Independence. Moreover, this year marks the 550th anniversary of the First General Sejm sitting.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Sejm of Poland for recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide in 2005. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of the Genocide adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 9 December 1948. This Convention was among the first United Nations conventions addressing issues of mankind. The Genocide of Armenian, Greek and Assyrian minorities in Ottoman Empire and Kemalist Turkey is considered to be one of the greatest disasters of the 20th century that took more than 2 million lives of innocent Christians. Let us not forget, that impunity leads to new crimes.
We highly appreciate the special resolutions adopted by the Polish Sejm and Senate last year on the occasion of the 650th anniversary of the establishment of Armenian community in Poland. Over the centuries Armenians always contributed to the strengthening of Polish statehood. Back to the times of Casimir Third the Great Armenians were granted special privileges and enjoyed caring attitude.
Dear Colleagues,
This year the Sejm and Senate of Poland ratified the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Agreement (CEPA). The signing and ratification of the document open a new chapter in the history of Armenia and EU cooperation. I do believe that this cooperation is also a new page for the consolidation of democracy, protection of human rights and securing an everlasting peace. We are waiting for the ratification of the Agreement by the rest of the EU member states in due time.
Dear Colleagues,
Today the world, including Europe, faces various challenges such as closed borders, military rhetoric and attempts to bring military solutions to the unresolved conflicts. Unfortunately, Armenia deals with all the aforementioned challenges. Speaking about the closed borders, I should note that despite the Protocols signed in Zurich, Turkey continues to keep its border with Armenia closed. Turkey’s policy of setting preconditions and blockading Armenia is deplorable. We are confident that the normalization of the relations must be without any preconditions.
Dear Colleagues,
We strongly refuse the military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as the bellicose rhetoric. The conflict must be settled solely through peaceful means and within the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs format on the basis of three well-known principles: peaceful settlement, exercise of peoples’ right to self-determination and territorial integrity. The right to self-determination is the natural right of citizens; henceforth the citizens of Artsakh have the same right to self-determination and to live in an independent state as each of us.
Dear Colleagues,
I am here today to call for peace, tolerance and political dialogue. I would like to finish my speech with the commandment of Pope John Paul II, “Do not be afraid to take a chance on peace, to teach peace, to live peace...Peace will be the last word of history. Violence and arms can never resolve the problems of men.”
