Written declaration No. 447 | Doc. 12317 | 14 October 2010

The need to act responsibly and with clarity of purpose in dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Signatories: Mr Davit HARUTYUNYAN, Armenia, EDG ; Mr Artsruni AGHAJANYAN, Armenia, NR ; Mr Viorel Riceard BADEA, Romania, EPP/CD ; Mr Roland BLUM, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Karmela CAPARIN, Croatia, EPP/CD ; Mr Joan CARTES IVERN, Andorra, SOC ; Ms Alma ČOLO, Bosnia and Herzegovina, EPP/CD ; Mr Georges COLOMBIER, France, EPP/CD ; Mr Alain COUSIN, France, EPP/CD ; Mr Frank FAHEY, Ireland, ALDE ; Mr Bernard FOURNIER, France, EPP/CD ; Mr György FRUNDA, Romania, EPP/CD ; Mr Giuseppe GALATI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Valeriu GHILETCHI, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Ms Annick GIRARDIN, France, SOC ; Ms Ana GUŢU, Republic of Moldova, ALDE ; Ms Azra HADŽIAHMETOVIĆ, Bosnia and Herzegovina, ALDE ; Mr Holger HAIBACH, Germany, EPP/CD ; Ms Olha HERASYM'YUK, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Francine JOHN-CALAME, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Albrecht KONEČNÝ, Austria, SOC ; Ms Elvira KOVÁCS, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Ms Athina KYRIAKIDOU, Cyprus, SOC ; Ms Anna LILLIEHÖÖK, Sweden ; Mr Arthur LOEPFE, Switzerland, EPP/CD ; Mr Theo MAISSEN, Switzerland, EPP/CD ; Mr Grigori MARGARYAN, Armenia, ALDE ; Mr Frano MATUŠIĆ, Croatia, EPP/CD ; Mr Evangelos MEIMARAKIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Armen MELIKYAN, Armenia, ALDE ; Ms Hermine NAGHDALYAN, Armenia, ALDE ; Mr Pasquale NESSA, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Valery PARFENOV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Ms Lajla PERNASKA, Albania, EPP/CD ; Ms Marijana PETIR, Croatia, EPP/CD ; Mr Johannes PFLUG, Germany, SOC ; Mr Alexander POCHINOK, Russian Federation, EDG ; Ms Zaruhi POSTANJYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Ms Marietta de POURBAIX-LUNDIN, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Christos POURGOURIDES, Cyprus, EPP/CD ; Mr François ROCHEBLOINE, France, EPP/CD ; Mr René ROUQUET, France, SOC ; Mr Armen RUSTAMYAN, Armenia, SOC ; Mr Rudy SALLES, France, EPP/CD ; Mr Giacomo SANTINI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Ms Maria STAVROSITU, Romania, EPP/CD ; Mr Fiorenzo STOLFI, San Marino, SOC ; Ms Doris STUMP, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Nikolay TULAEV, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Egidijus VAREIKIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD ; Ms Birutė VĖSAITĖ, Lithuania, SOC ; Mr Luigi VITALI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Konstantinos VRETTOS, Greece, SOC ; Ms Karin S. WOLDSETH, Norway, EDG ; Ms Gisela WURM, Austria, SOC ; Mr Jordi XUCLÀ, Spain, ALDE ; Ms Naira ZOHRABYAN, Armenia, ALDE

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly should continue to act responsibly and assess carefully its capacities and purposes when dealing with issues of conflicts, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Any action which lacks such clarity of purpose may do very little to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the conflict. On the contrary, it may produce the opposite result and complicate the ongoing peace process taking place under the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

The efforts of the Assembly when dealing with such situations should continue to be inclusive and rely solely on the consent of all the parties directly concerned. The efforts of the Presidents of the Assembly to consult extensively with members of the delegations directly concerned should be pursued with care and wisdom. Such consultations may in themselves lead to an environment conducive to a better understanding and to non-confrontational relations between the delegations concerned. The actions of the Assembly should in all cases discourage any of the parties concerned from seeking to use the Assembly as a platform for propaganda and mutual accusations.

The Assembly should also assess clearly its capacities as far as conflict resolution issues are concerned. The Assembly does not have the mechanisms, instruments or expertise to engage directly in conflict resolution. Hasty action on the part of the Assembly would therefore be unacceptable and may seriously endanger the efforts of the international community to seek a negotiated resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.