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On April 22-25, the member of the Dutch Parliament, the Foreign Affairs Spokesman of the Coalition Christian Union Party Don Ceder visited Armenia. During Don Ceder had a meeting with the officials of the Artsakh Republic, got acquainted with the situation in Artsakh, as well as visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex and the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute.

On April 23, accompanied by the RA NA deputy Meri Galstyan, in Goris the parliamentarian met with the Human Rights Defender of the Artsakh Republic (AR) Gegham Stepanyan, the AR Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Armine Alexanyan and the Chair of the AR NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Vahram Balayan.

Vahram Balayan thanked Don Ceder for visiting Armenia, for the meeting, as well as for his steps aimed at the solution of the issues concerning the Armenians. According to him, the Artsakh Armenians achieved their right to self-determination according to the norms of that time Soviet and international law: the aim was to exercise the right to human free living in their homeland. He presented the situation in Artsakh, underlining the genocidal steps being undertaken by Azerbaijan and Turkey towards Artsakh Armenians during these 30 years. Vahram Balayan has asked Don Ceder to present all the mentioned facts in the Dutch Parliament and has expressed hope that the Artsakh Armenians’ rights will be protected, as in Artsakh live people bearing European values and want to be integrated into the civilized world.

The AR Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Armine Alexanyan has presented to the guest the genocidal steps and Armenophobic manifestations of Turkey, which Azerbaijan carries out towards Artsakh Armenians until today. According to her, after the collapse of the Soviet Union the people have expressed their will of living in their homeland, which has been perceived by Azerbaijan as a fight for the territory. She has noted that the people of Artsakh want the same, what was 30 years ago, to live in peace in their homeland. The Deputy Minister has also underscored that the enemy of Azerbaijan are not only the Armenians of Artsakh, but also the Armenians of the world, about what the President of Azerbaijan evidently announced. Armine Alexanyan has noted that the idea, according to which, Artsakh can be as part of Azerbaijan, and people can live there in peace, is unacceptable.

According to the AR Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan, Azerbaijan has not imagined that the people of Artsakh will return to Artsakh, but they have returned and today live in very bad conditions. He has stressed that Azerbaijan takes all measures in order the Artsakh residents leave for Artsakh. The Ombudsman of Artsakh presented in detail the severe and inhuman steps by Azerbaijan towards Artsakh Armenians. He has noted that as in 1915, so today the world is silent, however he believes that the rights of Artsakh people should be protected on the international platforms.

The RA NA deputy Meri Galstyan has touched upon the problem of prisoners of war being held In Azerbaijan and stated that Azerbaijan impedes in all ways the return of the captives. According to her, the international community should impose pressure, which will be the most effective means and will make Azerbaijan to return all prisoners of war.

Thanking them for the meeting, Don Ceder highly appreciates the fact that the Artsakh residents presented him what takes place in Artsakh in reality. He emphasized that he had discussions over the abovementioned issues with the representatives of the Armenian community of the Netherlands. There were discussions also in the parliament and he proposed to carry out examination on the situation in Artsakh. Don Ceder has stressed that steps are taken in order to be proved that Azerbaijan is an aggressor in the war unleashed against Artsakh and relevant sanctions are used against it.

At Don Ceder’s request, the officials of Artsakh answered to a series of questions concerning him. At the end of the meeting the officials from Artsakh thanked the guest for the visit and the constructive and effective meeting.

On April 24, Don Ceder accompanied by Meri Galstyan visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex, laid flowers at the Eternal Fire and honoured the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. In the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute he got acquainted with the exhibits documenting the Genocide.