Finding the resolution over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict first of all meets Armenia interests, since Armenia currently remains in the significant isolation, and the significant part of its young population leaves the country for abroad for a better life, Rene Van Der Linden, the Chairman of PACE, said answering a question concerning the reasons why the sanctions imposed by the Council of Europe (CE) and Resolution 1416 (condemning fact of Armenia occupation over a part of Azerbaijan territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories of Azerbaijan) forwarded by Trend Special Correspondent to Moscow
Mr. van Der Linden expressed his regrets concerning the fact that the leaders of the two countries could not find a resolution of the conflict, that they could not agree that the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan was a serious deep tragedy.
Touching upon the reasons why the sanctions toward Armenia are not in place, the Chairman of PACE said that the Council of Europe is not an army. We are a community of associates which united around the united system of values using non-military ways to achieve the goals. We are acting via persuasion and dialogue. We are acting just through the dialogue in order to persuade the other party in the necessity of compromise, he said.
Touching upon the sanctions that can be imposed by CE, Mr. Van Der Linden said that it was first of all deprivation of the right of vote in PACE. However, the most series and severe measure is to withdraw the country from CE. But, we are not considering such a measure in this case. The matter is that the issue might be raised in case of resuming the conflict, as it was, for example, when there was the conflict between Greece and Turkey, said the Chairman of PACE.
Answering Trend other questions regarding the Council assistance in objective investigation in facts of captivity of more than 5,000 Azerbaijanis in Armenia, Mr. Linden said that he had no information in this connection. At the same time, he said that there was a special group in CE which headed by Lord Russell Johnston, and that it is his duty to deal with such issues.