"Prisoners Must Be Released and Return to Their Homes": New President of the PACE

Yes, I have indeed spoken about the importance of the Council of Europe intervening on this issue. This was the response from the newly elected President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Thini Cox, during an online press conference when asked by Aravot.am.

Aravot.am reminded Thini Cox of her situation during the 44-day war unleashed by Turkey and Azerbaijan against Armenia and Artsakh in 2020, during which she had stated in an expanded statement of PACE’s permanent committee: “We witnessed how a frozen conflict turned into a bloody war. Although this conflict has a long history, which has yet to find a sustainable path to resolution, it does not give either party the right to exercise violence against the other.”

She called on the Assembly to send co-rapporteurs to Baku and Yerevan as soon as possible, and also proposed to send a presidential commission to the conflict zone, similar to what PACE did after the bloody war between Russia and Georgia in 2008.

When asked what actions she plans to take as PACE president regarding the dispatch of reporters to the conflict zone, given the numerous humanitarian issues there, she replied: “This is a clear example of so-called frozen conflicts, which can explode at any moment. This is not the only conflict in Europe; there are many such cases. I hope that in the near future we will be able to speak with the delegations of Armenia and Azerbaijan, because ultimately, it is political leaders who must resolve these issues between the two countries.”

In response to another question about the mechanisms she would employ to pressure Azerbaijan to release Armenian prisoners of war, Thini Cox stated, “Prisoners must be released. It is already horrific that so many people lost their lives during this unnecessary, bloody war. It is time; all those who were captured during the war must be released and return to their homes.”

When Armenian journalists inquired as to why the report adopted by PACE did not address the issue of who started the war, and whether she thought there was a need for an additional report, the newly elected PACE president answered, “It is the Assembly's function to prepare reports and make recommendations. I hope that all stakeholders will follow the recommendations we have presented so that the consequences of this horrific war can be addressed. If there are suggestions that additional reports should be prepared, we will work in that direction. We are a democratic organization; the president cannot make decisions unilaterally.”

When asked what pressure could be exerted on Azerbaijan, which does not allow entry into Nagorno-Karabakh, Thini Cox replied: “This is a serious, major issue. We have recommendations on our part, and I want to urge both countries to carefully consider our recommendations as they can be mutually beneficial in overcoming the problems.”