When Has Azerbaijan Been a Democratic State for the Council of Europe? Gevorgyan Refreshes the Memory of PACE Delegates

The permanent member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia's delegation, Armen Gevorgyan, delivered a speech on October 10 regarding the progress of the PACE Bureau and the Permanent Committee's activities. This information comes from the official website of the National Assembly.

In his speech, he stated:

“Dear President,

In the context of Azerbaijan's ongoing aggression against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, I would like to pose the following questions:

1. Our organization has preferred to limit itself to vague and unspecified statements that equate the parties in this conflict. Therefore, I would like to know what our organization's clear and unequivocal position is: is Azerbaijan an aggressor state, and should it withdraw its troops from the occupied sovereign territories of Armenia?
2. There are two paths forward for Nagorno-Karabakh, and I believe that the Council of Europe should encourage and endorse only one of them: that is, respect for the right of people to self-determination. The alternative is tacitly allowing the Azerbaijani authorities to gradually annihilate and uproot Armenians in their historic homeland, as was done in Nakhchivan. Which option does the Council of Europe prefer?
3. The ‘new norm’ has become sacrificing democratic freedoms and traditions for geopolitical interests and access to the energy resources of the Caspian Sea. I would like to know when Azerbaijan has been a more democratic state for the Council of Europe: when it actively fought against the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh, or today, when it commits war crimes against the people of the Republic of Armenia?
4. So far, it is clear that in the international platforms where Turkey and Azerbaijan are not participants or do not have a dominant role, issues of armed aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh or Armenia are discussed more objectively. Am I correct in understanding that in our organization, issues related to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law are influenced decisively by the lobbying and resources of some national delegations?
5. Is there an understanding that the Azerbaijani president’s slogan ‘We will restore Karabakh and Zangezur’ is a clear recipe for disaster? It is a gross violation of fundamental norms of international law, a serious disrespect towards the international partners involved in the peace process, and an open call to redraw the political map of the South Caucasus according to Turanian aspirations at the expense of Armenia's sovereign territories?”