Latest Azerbaijani Slander and Démarche
Oslo, Norway-Stepan Safarian, member of the Heritage Party's parliamentary faction, who recently replaced Heritage's founder Raffi K. Hovannisian at the Armenian National Assembly's delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA), was in the Norwegian capital Oslo from May 23 to 26, where he participated in the spring session of NATO PA.
On May 23, Stepan Safarian attended the session of NATO PA's Defence and Security Commission. Heritage's MP offered comments and put forth queries specifically during the discussions devoted to Afghanistan and, subsequently, to the threats which the women and young girls face in times of military conflicts and post-conflict situations. In her remarks, Malahat Ibrahimkizi, the member of Azerbaijan's associated delegation to NATO PA, made a "smooth" transition from the issue of violations against the women and young girls in the conflict zones to the Karabagh conflict and made slanderous accusations against Armenia. She argued that Armenia was the aggressor, that twenty percent of Azerbaijan was under occupation, and that there were one million Azerbaijani refugees. And offering his comments on the topic of discussion, Stepan Safarian noted: "I deeply regret that I must commence my remarks by responding to the slanders made by my distinguished Azerbaijani colleague. I was preparing to deliver an altogether different speech, but now I am obliged to start my words from this issue. I understand that my Azerbaijani colleagues have a task given to them by their highest leadership, and this task is to make use of any and all fora and opportunity to smear Armenia in order to distort the truth. Ladies and gentlemen, we can interpret the historical facts and the history in different ways, yet it is impossible to falsify the facts and write a new history. However, I do agree with my colleague in one description, but with a certain editing: The Mountainous Karabagh conflict is the tragic story of an aggression and a failed attempt at occupation. More specifically, it is the tale of Azerbaijan's instigating aggression against and its failed attempt to occupy Mountainous Karabagh. When Azerbaijan decided to seize Karabagh by military means, this was prevented by the effective Armenian defense. And today, my Azerbaijani colleague is trying to misrepresent this fact, which resulted in tragic consequences and in the present-day realities. It is impossible to reformulate history, which she is attempting to do." Afterward, Safarian examined the matter of and the challenge toward disarmament and the women's engagement in different militarized conflicts. Following the Heritage MP's intervention, the Azerbaijani deputy became edgy and, pretentiously obstructing the session, left the session's hall screaming. The same day, Safarian also participated in the session of NATO PA's Economy and Security Commission.
On May 24, Stepan Safarian partook in the session of the Political Affairs Commission. During this event, Safarian offered his observations concerning Iran and Iran-international community relations. He underscored the need to correctly recognize and comprehend the real motives behind Iran's demeanor, and to use the unused opportunities and potential for normalizing relations and surmounting the tension between Iran and the international community. He also offered his impressions from Iran, which reaffirmed his assertions with respect to the presence of the aforesaid potential and the problems which Iran, NATO, and the international community shared in the Greater Near Eastern region.
On May 25, Stepan Safarian met with Sverre Mirli and Kiel Engebretsen, the members of the "Friends of Armenia in Norway" network and the present and former Norwegian MPs. Safarian expressed a hope that the best traditions in the Armenia-Norway friendship will continue and the bilateral cooperation will grow stronger, and he also promised to contribute in this task.
On May 26, the Armenian delegation attended the plenary session and the closing ceremony of NATO PA. All through and beyond the latter's spring session, Stepan Safarian also met with delegates from numerous countries (Denmark, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Algeria, Moldova, Germany, France, Jordan, etc.) and exchanged views on regional security issues.
