Participants of the parliamentary meeting of Central and Eastern European countries on August 31, 2016 in Warsaw, Poland (Photo: parliament.am)

YEREVAN (Armenpress)— Deputy Speaker of Armenian Parliament Hermine Naghdalyan delivered a speech about Nagorno-Karabakh during a parliamentary meeting of Central and Eastern European countries on August 31 in Warsaw, Poland. The discussion was entitled “Revival of the European Union and the Regional Cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe” which was organized within the framework of “Solidarity and Sovereignty.”

In her speech, Naghdalyan said the meeting was a good opportunity to discuss and raise issues of concern and which need urgent solutions. She talked about the difficult and tense situation in the region and highlighted the importance of cooperation in the political dialogue on security issues in Karabakh.

She noted that war zones, the growth of political extremism and the expansion of international terrorism are major challenges endangering the regional peace and security and require joint efforts to fighting against them.

Naghdalyan presented Armenia’s difficultly regarding being surrounded Turkey in the west and Azerbaijan in the east. She added that Azerbaijan has an aggressive military policy against Armenia from the east, and Turkey has been implementing a border blockade from the west, grossly violating international law.

Naghdalyan reminded the European lawmakers of the recent military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh in early April, targeting not only the armed forces, but also the civilians.

“Colleagues, the issue today is about the Nagorno-Karabakh people’s security; their right to live. Nagorno-Karabakh is a part of Europe regardless of its status, and its people belong to the European family,” she stated.

“At various levels, the EU has expressed its readiness to support the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs which is the only internationally authorized body aimed at working towards the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on the three principles of the international law: the right to self-determination, territorial integrity and non-use of force,” she stated.

Naghdalyan expressed hope that the EU’s unbiased stance and its dedication to create a favorable atmosphere for the comprehensive settlement of the conflict may succeed to break the ice of the Azerbaijani policy and become a bridge in promoting confidence-building, which will not be easy as long as our neighbor rejects all forms of cooperation.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Karabakh is an established state with all its attributes of statehood and institutions, the Constitution, active civil society and vibrant economy,” the Naghdalyan said.

“With its independence, Karabakh proved that it is a reliable, predictable and responsible partner for the international community, and is consistent with its actions aimed for the maintenance of regional peace and stability,” she said.

“The EU is a symbol of democracy. Based on its main principles and values, the Union must be together with people who fight for democracy, human rights, freedom and equality. These people have expectations, and the EU can help fulfilling them,” she concluded.