EU Commissioner concerned over March 2008 tragic events
If we do not seriously contemplate over the tragic clashes of March 1, 2008, do not adequately respond to the events and fully close that page, we cannot create a favorable atmosphere in Armenia ahead of the 2012 elections.
The opinion was expressed by EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Štefan Füle on Friday during a joint conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.
The EU official has observed significant progress in Armenian since his previous visit, especially in connection to the people who were sent to prison after the March 1, 2008 clashes.
"Three years have passed since the tragic events, and Armenian citizens should have a complete notion of what happened and who perpetrated the clashes. The authorities should start objective investigation into the deaths of the ten victims. In this context, I welcome Serzh Sargsyan's recent instruction to review the probe into the March 2008 events. It is important that Armenia fulfill the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations," said Štefan Füle.
The EU official expects that the 2012 elections in Armenia will be free and fair, in full compliance with EU standards. In this regard, he highlighted the involvement of civil society and political opposition in legal discussions.
"It is not enough to have a good legislation, it is also important to apply it before and during the elections," said Füle.
Štefan Füle reiterated EU's support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and stressed that the Karabakh conflict should be settled on the basis of the principles of non-use of force or the threat of force, territorial integrity and the right of peoples to self-determination.
Speaking about yesterday's incident along the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijan armed forces, the EU official said that the EU is seriously concerned about ongoing incidents and confrontations.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian agreed with the EU official saying that the Karabakh conflict should be settled within the framework of the OSCE Minsk group.
"There is not alternative to the peaceful settlement of the conflict," said Nalbandian stressing that killing of soldiers at the border hampers the peaceful talks over the Karabakh conflict settlement.
He noted that during the Karabakh talks in Sochi, a decision was adopted to "create a mechanism for investigating such provocations" and expressed the hope that creation of the mechanism will contribute to the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Artsakh serviceman Vazgen Bakhshyan, 19, died on Thursday as a result of Azerbaijani firing at NKR positions in the south-eastern part of the line of contact.
