ARMENIAN PARTY PROPOSES DISCUSSION OF ISSUES OF SHAHUMIAN AND GETASHEN OCCUPIED ARMENIAN TERRITORIES AND REFUGEES

The Armenian party proposes to bring up for discussion the issues of Shahumian and Getashen occupied Armenian territories and Armenian refugees. Written proposals on that were submitted by the Armenian party in the course of the session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly session in Venice November 11-17. Chairman of the Committee for Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs of the Armenian Parliament M. Shahgeldian told about the course of the discussions at a press conference November 19. During the event, where the question of the security system of the South Caucasian countries was also discussed, the draft of a German representative on the countries of the region was heard. The final report will be presented at the next session. A proposal on “the seven occupied territories of Azerbaijan” is introduced into the report instead of “the four territories” present in the initial document. In M. Shahgeldian’s words, the inclusion of the issue in the UN General Assembly agenda influenced on making such an alteration. In the course of the debates a French representative also suggested the introduction of the issue of lifting the blockade of Armenia, held by Turkey. The Armenian party also made its written proposals.
These specifically remind of the occupied Armenian territories of Shahumian and Getashen, as well as persons of Armenian nationality displaced from Azerbaijan by force. It should be reminded that Getashen territory was occupied by the Azeri forces in the summer of 1991 with the direct support of the Soviet army. Shahumian region was occupied in the summer of 1992 due to bribed Russian generals. Thousands of Armenians were deported by force or annihilated in the course of those operations.