European Armenian Federation

The International Court of Justice's decision on Kosovo must be applied to the Nagorno Karabakh (27 July 2010)

Fédération Euro-Arménienne — 2010-07-27T13:16:04Z

The Hague (Netherlands) - The International Court of Justice has given on Thursday, July 22, 2010, its advisory legal opinion on the conformity of Kosovo's unilaterally proclaimed independence with regards to the International law.

The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy took note of the judge's opinion who approved Kosovo's proclamation of independence saying it “does not constitute a violation of general international law”, and anticipates the application of this decision to the Nagorno-Karabakh independence case.

The Federation considers that, although it is necessary to cautiously examine the contents and the arguments of the ICJ decision, this historical act is likely to soften the positions of the States and international authorities with respect to the independence of Karabakh.

According to the Federation, Karabakh has a legitimacy even more obvious than Kosovo to enjoy its right to self-determination for several reasons: “Nagorno-Karabakh never belonged to independent Azerbaijan, thus, there is noissue of Karabakh's unilateral secession from Azerbaijan” declared Hilda Tchoboian, President of the European Armenian Federation. The process of independence initiated on September 2nd, 1991, confirmed by the referendum on December 10th, 1991 took place in strict respect of the internal rights in force in the USSR. Moreover, the Armenian population had been submitted to discriminations by the Azerbaijani authorities for decades, and was subjected to the typical Human Rights violations with, in particular, attempts of extermination and deportations by Azerbaijan. Lastly, in addition to the provisions of the international law pleading in favour of the right to self-determination, the Federation considers that the international law does not contain an explicit provision prohibiting people's self-determination.

“The OSCE Minsk group will have to quickly integrate the ICJ decision in its peace process proposals” explained Hilda Tchoboian. “Azerbaijan did not have legitimacy to refuse the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh; after this legal document of international significance, and by extension of this one, International law prohibits Azerbaijan from rejecting the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh,” concluded Hilda Tchoboian.

Azerbaijan must sign a non-aggression pact (2 July 2010)

Fédération Euro-Arménienne — 2010-07-02T09:17:48Z

On the occasion of the June 26th joint-statement by Presidents Sarkozy, Medvedev and Obama in Toronto regarding the principles of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy calls, for the second time, on the OSCE to urgently require of Azerbaijan the signature of a non-aggression pact as a pre-requisite to the peace negotiations mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair nations.

The European Armenian Federation considers that this new statement by the Presidents of the Co-Chair nations, while expressing the will “to point out” the elements of the L'Aquila initial statement of 10th July 2009, in effect, compromises the future of the negotiations — and therefore the hope for a durable peace in the region — by its one-sided formulations and its inherently imbalanced assessments of the situation. The Federation notes, for example, that while the L'Aquila statement referred to the territorial package of the negotiations as “the territories surrounding the Nagorno Karabakh”, the Toronto statement deliberately qualifies these as “occupied territories” thus taking sides with Azerbaijan on a fundamental issue of the negotiating process .

“We expected the Presidents to deliver a firm condemnation of the most recent Azerbaijani act of aggression violating the existing Cease Fire Agreement and causing major bloodshed along the Cease Fire line; instead, they adopted the vocabulary and the positions of Azerbaijan in their joint statement” stated Hilda Tchoboian, the President of the European Armenian Federation.. We are indeed surprised by the script being promoted in the statement. We note the obvious difference between the precise one-sided demands the Presidents make on the elements of an intermediate solution, including the withdrawal of the Armenian forces, and the vague pronouncements of procedure regarding the path to lead to the final status of the Nagorno Karabakh. Such neglect relating to such vital issues impacting the basic security of the Armenian people in the region is unacceptable” continued Hilda Tchoboian.

The Federation considers that after this recent Azeri violation of the Cease fire and the assassination of 4 Armenian border security troops on June 18th, the Armenian confidence in the negotiating process is shaken. These attacks, the day following the meeting between the Armenian and Azeri presidents in St Petersburg, proved once again that President Aliev is preparing for war while misleading the world by participating in the OSCE peace process.

The international community must take note of Azerbaijan's excessive investments in armaments and military technology (multiplication by 1300% of the military budget in 5 years) before it is too late. The world must also take seriously the warmongering statements by the top Azerbaijani leaders. Azerbaijan must be strongly condemned by the interational community for these policies. It must especially be condemned by the European Union and the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group.

“Not to firmly criticize the Azerbaijani state for its acts of aggression and its violations of the Cease Fire Agreement would make the Co-Chair nations of the Minsk Group indirect promoters of the arms race in the region, rapidly leading to the disintegration of the peace process which they are mandated to enforce. The world cannot afford to have a repetition of Munich 1938 in the South Causasus” stated Hilda Tchoboian.

Lastly, the Federation reiterates its call of August 1st, 2009 on the OSCE (http://eafjd.eu/spip.php?article546), to demand Azerbaijan a non-aggression pact before continuing the peace negotiations between the two countries on the basis of mutual confidence, essential to any peace negotiation.

Armenia – Turkey: Turkish preconditions freeze protocols (26 April 2010)

Fédération Euro-Arménienne — 2010-04-26T15:30:28Z

The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy welcomes with overwhelming satisfaction, the decision of Armenia to freeze the ratification of the protocols signed with Turkey by the Armenian Parliament.

One year after the beginning of the process, the Armenian President, Serge Sarkissian, while reaffirming his attachment with the normalisation of relations with Turkey, reported the absence in Turkey of a favourable environment, and of leaders ready to engage in this process. Indeed, the Turkish leaders had put additional conditions, without agreement between the two countries, to the ratification of these protocols, while thus hoping to keep Armenia under pressure.

“The first condition to succeed such negotiations is the bona fide of it's contents: however, we had already observed an obvious imbalance: Armenia clearly expected for this situation to be normalised, and Turkey, whom we denounced as having leaders with a serious lack of sincerity” declared Hilda Tchoboian, chairwoman of the European Armenian Federation.

The European Armenian Federation recalls that on April 6th, Catherine Ashton, the EU High representative for foreign affairs and security policy affirmed the EU support for the protocols by indicating, in accordance with the agreements, that the latter should be applied with no preconditions.

“The conditions of a true agreement between the two countries were distorted in advance: Armenia had to pay too high a price for the lifting of the Turkish blockade,” added Hilda Tchoboian. “This decision confirms that Armenia had been duped by Turkey who wants to maintain Armenia as a neighbour hostage”.

The Federation recalls that with this attitude, Turkey is infringing the Copenhagen criteria, which stipulate that the applicant countries should establish good relations with their neighbouring countries.

“We invite the European Union to take note of Turkish responsibility for the failure of these agreements; and to take effective and rapid measures for the lifting of the blockade on Armenia,” concluded Hilda Tchoboian.

EU's Policy: Armenia-Turkey Normalisation of Relations Without Pre-Conditions (9 April 2010)

Fédération Euro-Arménienne — 2010-04-09T11:20:32Z

The European Armenian Federation for Justice & Democracy welcomes the statement by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Catherine Ashton, confirming European Union's unwavering commitment to the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Turkey without any pre-conditions.

The Federation would further point out that inherent in the EU statement is the recognition by EU's highest-level leadership that an imbalance exists between the disposition of Armenia which has followed the “no pre-conditions” principle and has submitted the signed Protocols to its Parliament, and that of Turkey, which is insisting on pre-conditions thus halting the ratification process, while at the same time making statements in support of the normalisation process.

The Federation also commends the European executive for its active efforts toward reinforcement of ties, within the Eastern Partnership framework, between Armenia and the European Union leading to closer political association and economic integration.

“At the same time, we deeply regret that so far there has not been a strong and unanimous condemnation, by the European Union's leadership, of Prime Minister Erdogan's open threats to deport the Armenians living in Turkey in retaliation for the US congressional consideration of the Armenian Genocide resolution,” declared Hilda Tchoboian, Chairwoman of the European Armenian Federation.

“Turkey's present blockade of Armenia and its systematic policy of denial of the Armenian Genocide should lead the European Union to have a full appreciation of Turkey's politics of aggression in the region,” added Hilda Tchoboian.

The European Armenians expect the European leadership to stand firm on its refusal of any pre-conditions to normalization of relations. They also expect the leaders of Europe to clearly demand that the Turkish blockade of Armenia is lifted once and for all.

European Armenian Federation call released in International Herald Tribune (7 December 2009)

Fédération Euro-Arménienne — 2009-12-07T16:46:10Z

On the eve of the European summit beginning today, International Herald Tribune released on Monday, December 7 in its Europe – Middle East – Asia edition, a call launched by the European Armenian Federation to the Heads of States and governments about the accession negotiations with Turkey.

The call, entitled “Europe is a Union of values”, salutes the propositions of President Van Rompuy who has declared that “Turkey's accession to our democracy raises a set of incompatibilities and contradictions with the very essence of the European Union's core principles”.

The call briefly lists Turkey's failures, among which its refusal to ratify the Ankara protocol, to recognise the Armenian Genocide, to take on important reforms in the legislative field, to respect the religious freedom of its minorities and to grant them real socio-political rights.

The European Armenian Federation calls upon “the Heads of State and Prime Ministers taking part in the next European summit to place clear prerequisites on the continuation of the negotiations with Turkey” as regards to these failings.

The call concludes by affirming that if overlooked, “such massive failings would have serious consequences for the future of Europe, irrespective of the format of association considered, i.e. a full membership or a privileged partnership”.

Armenian Turkish protocols: Turkey's preconditions violate the principles of International Law (2 September 2009)

Fédération Euro-Arménienne — 2009-09-02T20:39:47Z

On Monday, 31st August, Armenia and Turkey, under the aegis of the Swiss diplomacy, announced that they agreed to start internal political consultations in order to sign and swiftly ratify two protocols aiming at normalising their relations.

According to the joint press release, the two parties claim that they will complete the consultations on the “protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations” and on the “protocol on the development of bilateral relations” in six weeks, further to which they pretend to quickly reach a ratification “in line with their constitutional and legal procedures”. These documents were made public.

A close examination of the protocols (attached herein) clearly reveals that the purview of these documents – historically unprecedented between the two neighbouring states – goes far beyond the mere “normalisation” and border-opening issues being discussed between Armenia and Turkey over many years. These protocols embrace, in a fundamental way, the full scope of unresolved issues between Turkey and the Armenian people worldwide, including those involving the legitimate rights of the European Armenian communities. Through the protocols, and mobilizing immense resources of international pressure, Turkey has indeed imposed its preconditions, which Armenia had categorically rejected so far.

The European Armenian Federation considers these protocols a dangerous retreat from Armenia's time-honoured policy of welcoming normalisation of relations with Turkey, but without any pre-conditions. The Turkish government's pre-conditions violate the core principles of international law as they involve acceptance by Armenia of the terms and conditions of old and illegitimate treaties long pre-dating the existence of independent Armenia.

They involve the abandonment by Armenia of all efforts toward the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. They also involve complete capitulation by Armenia to Azerbaijan's terms in the Karabagh negotiations, as re-iterated by Minister Davutoglu on the very day, i.e. September 1st, of the announcement of the protocols. Furthermore, the tri-lateral announcement fails to recognize the fact that the people of Nagorno Karabagh and the communities of the Armenian Diaspora – therefore the European Armenians – are legitimate parties to any “political consultations” involving these issues.

“Turkey should not be permitted to abuse these bilateral negotiations “packaging away” its historic national liabilities in border-opening agreements with Armenia, its economically vulnerable neighbour. The international community must reject Turkey's most recent practice of imposing its policy of denial of the Armenian genocide through such biased bilateral deals. And the Swiss government should be more vigilant in its assessment of the moral implications of its mediation initiative given Turkey's questionable record in all these issues,” stated Hilda Tchoboian the chairperson of the European Armenian Federation. « For decades, the European Armenian communities fought all forms of genocide denial, advocated for the right to self-determination of the people of Nagorno Karabagh, and defended the heritage of the Armenian people in all of its aspects, having by their side the unwavering support of the European society to their Just Cause. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to defend the legitimate rights of our People with the same determination,” concluded Hilda Tchoboian.

Azerbaijan must sign a non-aggression pact with Armenia (1 August 2009)

Fédération Euro-Arménienne — 2009-07-31T23:05:38Z

In a call to the OSCE, the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy expressed its profound concern about the danger to the Caucasus security, and in particular to Armenia and its population, resulting from Azerbaijan's increased arms build-up and militarist policies.

The call refers to Azerbaijan's excessive new investment in military hardware and technology and the policy statements of the Azeri President with respect to peace negotiations concerning the Karabagh conflict, under the aegis of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Given the present realities in Azerbaijan and the threatening posture of the Aliev regime, the Federation concludes that Azerbaijan has violated the fundamental principles of international negotiations by seriously committing itself to the military option while giving lip service to the OSCE process. The Federation strongly urges the Co-Chairs to refocus their efforts, first and foremost, on the grave security threats resulting from Azerbaijan's current national priorities. Azerbaijan cannot be allowed to negotiate from a position of open belligerence while the Armenian side negotiates in good faith.

Indeed, Azerbaijan has multiplied by 1300% its budget for armaments, from 175 Million US dollars in 2004 to 2.5 Billion dollars in 2009. President Aliev's intensified warmongering declarations are thus substantiated pointing to a real possibility of an Azeri resumption of hostilities.

The Federation denounces recent statements made by President Aliev in London, which highlight his refusal of any concession on the Karabagh issue, and his persistence to speak about mere “autonomy” for Karabagh under Azeri sovereignty, a position which, in effect, puts an end to the OSCE negotiations process as it has existed so far.

The European Armenian Federation calls on the Co-Chairs to take Azerbaijan's military ambitions in the region seriously and, therefore, demand solid non-aggression guaranties from the Azeri state prior to any further discussions relating to the Minsk Group agenda. In the present circumstances, a non-aggression pact obligating Azerbaijan to peace is the only meaningful objective for OSCE before any further moves could be considered.

“Armenia and the Nagorno Karabagh Republic have a right to secure themselves against the continuing threats from Azerbaijan. Furthermore, the future negotiating process must not exclude the Nagorno Karabagh Republic, as a full-fledged party to the negotiations. The Azerbaijani security threats are first directed at the people of Nagorno Karabagh, which must have its independent say in the process,” stated Hilda Tchoboian, President of the European Armenian Federation.

European elections – The European Armenian Federation release their five-year report (29 May 2009)

Fédération Euro-Arménienne — 2009-05-29T13:47:38Z

The European Armenian Federation published today its five-year report on the European Parliament's last legislature. The report enlightens the positions adopted by the various political groups on the issues relating to foreign affairs, such as Turkey's accession, the European Neighbourhood Policy, the relations between the European Union and Armenia or the destruction by Azerbaijan of the Armenian cultural heritage.

Since two legislatures (10 years), the Federation has been the interpreter of the European citizens' expectations on these crucial issues which engage the future of the Union. Since then, it constitutes for the Union's institutions the main interlocutor that comes from the European civil society with regard to these questions.

The report is based on an analysis of the voting record, and “presents the positions of the main political groups or some of their most active members so that, before the European elections, the European citizen could make his choice on factual and objective information.”

It becomes evident at first reading that the outgoing MEPs from the main political groups were fragmented on the positions to hold with regard to these questions, where the need for affirming the Union's values generally was confronted to the concern of not offending Turkey. In particular, the question of recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a prerequisite for accession.

Thus, the conservatives of the European People's party (EPP) who are the majority against Turkey's accession used this ethical question in 2004, 2005 and 2006 when Turkish fast accession appeared probable. They gave this issue up the following years when it was out of date, while some MEPs continued to support it.

Among the socialist group, the French who committed themselves to turn this claim into the claim of the Party of the European Socialist (PSE) remained alone without being able to succeed in rallying the PSE's other delegations around this demand. Although the French Socialists remained remarkably faithful to this commitment, the PSE's global policy was gradually aligned with Ankara's desires.

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) is in the same situation as the Socialist group: the hard core of some democratic members of Parliament continue to support the European values while the majority of the liberals give priority to the Turkish accession without really worrying about the violations of the Union's principles by this country.

The European United Left Group (GUE) has the most coherent position which is in favour of Turkish accession by principle and at the same time it firmly expresses the preliminary demand of respect for European values, among which the recognition of the Genocide.

As for the Greens, the report stresses that it “started defending the Turkish immigrants from discriminations and progressively moved to the unconditional support of the Turkish accession by the dissimulation of the justified obstacles which impedes the accession process. Consequently, it constitutes today a real lobby of Turkey within the European Parliament. ”

The report is available on the European Armenian Federation website.

With the approach of the European elections, the Federation intends to continue to play its role of interlocutor between the Europeans' expectations and the Union's institutions.

Statement on the Eastern Partnership : A genuine development prospect for Armenia and South Caucasus (7 May 2009)

Fédération Euro-Arménienne — 2009-05-07T17:44:17Z

The European Armenian Federation hails the Eastern Partnership (EaP) kicked off by the European Union encompassing Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine on the 7th of May.

The EaP offers a fair and genuine development prospect for these six countries and especially for Armenia in prolonging and in expanding the scope of the European Neighbourhood Policy. The European Armenian Federation considers that the EaP is presently the most advanced framework for relations between the European Union and its Eastern neighbours. We especially commend the EaP as it keeps alive the European aspiration of some of these countries by stating that this step forward is made “without prejudice to individual countries' aspirations for their future relationships with the EU”.

In this regard, the European Armenian Federation urges all the regional stakeholders to rule out any “sphere of influence” rationale bearing in mind that acknowledging and considering the aspiration of local populations is the surest and most straightforward way to reach peace and stability for the mutual benefit of all.

Since we are deeply convinced that no EU policy can meet success without genuine support from the people, we are also especially welcoming the place granted to civil society and people-to-people contact in the EaP Framework.

In this regard, the Federation emphasises that the generations old, important and well-integrated European Armenian Diaspora is an outstanding asset for both EU and Armenia in the successful implementation of the EaP. Relying on these committed European citizens and on their friends, the European Armenian Federation is steadfastly ready to play an active role in actual projects' achievement in the EaP's framework.

Fiasco for the Azeri propaganda in the European Parliament (11 March 2009)

Fédération Euro-Arménienne — 2009-03-11T17:44:34Z

The anti-Armenian Pogroms in Sumgait were evoked at the Azerbaijani commemoration of Khojalu

The ambassador of Azerbaijan prohibited to speakerdit de parole

The “commemoration” of the Khojalu events that was for Azerbaijan the pinnacle moment of its ongoing misinformation campaign turned to a fiasco on Tuesday, March 3, 2009, in the European Parliament.

Alerted by the European Armenian Federation and other voices of European public opinion, the MEP Mrs. Gisela Kallenbach (Greens, Germany) which initially had sponsored the exhibition of the “Aliev Foundation”, became aware that she was the object of the Azeri attempt of manipulation. Consequently, she surprised the participants, primarily the Azeris by declaring that she was there only “because it was too late to cancel the exhibition”.

In her inaugural speech, Gisela Kallenbach did not hesitate to say that she regretted that the exhibition did not include pictures of the anti-Armenian pogrom that was committed in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait in 1988, before taking one minute of silence in memory of the victims of all the conflicts of the South Caucasus. She criticised implicitly the Azeri attempt of misinformation and stated that she learnt that this exhibition “could be used in order to destroy the promising and recent process of reconciliation between Armenia and Azerbaijan” and “that was absolutely not” her intention.

The short speech that Mrs. Kallenbach delivered on this occasion is available here.

Mrs. Kallenbach quickly put an end to her participation while the ambassador of Azerbaijan was prevented from expressing himself and distributing his false propaganda.

According to various sources, Mrs. Kallenbach had been deceived by officers of her political group directly financed by the Aliev Foundation. “We congratulate Mrs. Kallenbach for her courage and her perspicacity” declared Hilda Tchoboian, the chairperson of the European Armenian Federation; “it is clear that the commemorations of Khojalu organized everywhere in Europe and in the United States form part of the political warmongering of the leaders of Azerbaijan; they aim to prevent the settlement of the conflict by prohibiting any concession to its public opinion, while masking its own crimes” she continued.

Within the framework of a worldwide campaign of disinformation, the Baku regime intends to make the international institutions acknowledge that the events which would have occurred in Khojalu in 1992 at the time of Artsakh liberation war (formerly Nagorno Karabakh) would have constituted war crimes – even a “genocide”. These events – presented as such using photos taken in Kosovo were never clarified but several sources – in particular Azeri – tend to prove that they would have been caused by the Aliev clan to destabilize the Azeri regime of Mutalibov which was at that time in power.

The massacres and pogroms of Armenians in Sumgait, Baku and Kirovabad, recalled by Mrs. Kallenbach, are on the other hand, attested as having constituted the response of Azerbaijan to the peaceful process by which the Armenian populations of Karabakh had requested their unification to Armenia, in accordance with the Soviet constitution which was into force at that time. These pogroms caused the Artsakh liberation war to begin.

At that time, the European Parliament strongly criticised the actions of Azerbaijan towards its Armenian population, pointing out “the blockade and the aggression of Azerbaijan”, “the 300,000 Armenian refugees who fled the pogroms”, the murders of Armenians perpetrated “in horrific circumstances”, “the economic blockade of Armenia”, “the unprecedented attack against the Armenians of Karabakh” and their “right to self-determination”.

These resolutions of the European Parliament are available on the European Armenian Federation website.

“Taking into consideration the serious incriminations that the European Parliament and the International community charged against Azerbaijan, for the first time, the machine of Azeri misinformation failed to use the European Assembly as a springboard to spread its falsified interpretation of the history” commented Hilda Tchoboian. “The abusive exploitation by Azerbaijan of the Karabakh conflict to justify the warmongering and racist speech of his leaders towards Armenia and the Armenians, will have to be condemned by the European Union which carries a real interest with the establishment of a durable peace in the area” continued the Chair of the European Armenian Federation.

The European Armenian Federation recalls that for several years, the Azeri power has tried repeatedly to discredit the OSCE Minsk group who is in charge of the peace negotiations in order to move their framework. In spite of these attempts, the European Parliament constantly affirmed its confidence in the Minsk group which takes into account the right to self-determination of the Karabakh people in compliance with the principles of the International law.