It will be easier to achieve peace in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by ensuring the rule of law and observing human rights, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland said in an interview with ArmInfo.
The negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are held under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group. As it is known, CE is not involved in this process, he said.
"We have not received a request from the parties or other members of the OSCE Minsk Group.
But I would like to say that the process of ensuring the rule of law must play a serious role in the efforts towards a peaceful settlement," Jagland said. He said that it is easy to achieve peace when it is possible to optimize the rule of law and protect human rights.
"This applies not only to this conflict, but also other frozen conflicts in Europe. Therefore, it is necessary to put emphasis on this as an important element of the measures of peaceful settlement of all frozen conflicts in Europe," Jagland said.
He added that there is no clear position on the re-establishment of the special committee on Nagorno Karabakh in PACE.
"But we need a coordinated policy on this issue", Jagland said.
The sub-committee on Karabakh, created in the PACE Bureau on the resolution of 2005, ceased its work in connection with the death of its chairman, Lord Russell Johnston in 2008.
The issue of resuming the sub-committee's activity arose more than once. But it was protested by the Armenian delegation in PACE, which considers it inappropriate to be re-established.
This issue is almost resolved. It will be submitted for the Bureau to appoint the chairman, PACE chairman, head of the Turkish delegation, Movlud Cavusoglu, told ArmInfor on Jan. 24.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the United States - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.