While on an official visit to Mexico, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard
Nalbandian criticized the Mexican Senate on October 23, 2012 for adopting a pro-Azeri
resolution and expressed dismay at the recent erection of a statue of Azeri
dictator Heydar Aliyev in the nation’s capital.
During a meeting with his Mexican counterpart Patricia Espinosa, Nalbandian
expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that the previous Mexican parliament
had adopted resolutions that misrepresent the elements of the Mountainous Karabagh
conflict. Earlier this year, the Mexican Senate passed a resolution
commemorating the events at Khojaly calling the incident genocide.
Nalbandian stressed that the resolutions were flagrantly contrary to the
international community’s position and harm the ongoing conflict resolution
process. He added that such measures also impact the regional security and
adversely impact Armenian-Mexican relations.
Nalbandian also expressed dismay over the erection of a Khojaly memorial and
the Aliyev statue, both of which have prompted Mexican human rights activities
to complain to authorities.
Nalbandian told Espinosa that he shared the concerns voiced by Mexican human
rights advocates that the erection of the statues is an insult to the memory of
genocide victims, adding that he agreed with the international reaction against
placing the former Azerbaijani president’s statue in the Mexican capital.
According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry press service, Espinosa provided
explanations and clarifications and acknowledged the public outrage these
statues have created. There were no indications, however, that she proposed
measures to rectify the situation.
During the talks, Nalbandian briefed Espinosa about the current state of the
Mountainous Karabagh conflict resolution process. Espinosa voiced support for the
peaceful resolution of the conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk
Group.
On the same day, Nalbandian also met with members of the Mexican Senate and
admonished them for taking steps that hinder cooperation between Armenia and
Mexico.
“By talking about the steps that harmed the relations I mean the resolutions
adopted by the last sitting of the Chamber of the Parliament and Senate of
Mexico on Nagorno-Karabagh, which are contrary to the positions of the
international community and stimulate Azerbaijan’s destructive behavior and
aggressive activities,” Nalbandian told the senators.
The senators underlined that the only way of the settlement of the issue is
the negotiations, and they urged all parties of the conflict to take steps for
reaching peace as soon as possible, which is in the interest of the region and
people living there.
Nalbandian also spoke at the Matias Romero Institute for Diplomatic Studies,
to an audience made up of Mexico’s diplomatic corps and high-ranking government
officials. He delivered a terse message regarding Azerbaijan and its
leadership.
“Having rich experience in corruption, Baku is trying to bring that
experience to inter-state level, using it as a tool to lay its own
responsibility for distorted perceptions on others. Unfortunately, in some
countries some politicians fall into the Azerbaijan’s trap,” said Nalbandian
adding that those elements “are incapable of resisting temptations of corruption
coming from Baku. Based on its domestic experience, Azerbaijan believes that
everything can be bought and sold even on the international level.”
“The banner of the Azeri former president’s monument is propagating that the
former head of the KGB is a bright example of international peace, who led
Azerbaijan to democracy. The actual truth is that various human rights
organizations listed that country among the most corrupt and anti-democratic
countries and that it has become a world champion of provoking war and
threatening to use force,” added Nalbandian.
Newly-Appointed Ambassador to Mexico
The newly-appointed Armenian Ambassador to Mexico, Tatul Markarian, who is also
Armenia’s Ambassador to the US, presented his credentials to Mexican President
Felipe Calderon on October 18, 2012
Before the official presentation, Markarian had meetings with Mexico’s
Foreign Undersecretary Lourdes Aranda, Mexican Foreign Ministry’s Director General for
Europe Jose Ignacio Madrazo, newly elected President of the Mexican Parliament
Jesus Murillo Karam and Vice-President of the Parliament Francisco Arroyo.
Representatives of both legislative and executive branches of Mexico hailed
the fact that Armenia has appointed an Ambassador to Mexico after a long break,
adding that Mexico would continue its friendly and balanced policy on issues
concerning Armenia and the region.
Ambassador Markarian assured, in turn, that the Armenia was resolute in
developing and deepening its relations with Mexico.
Within the framework of the visit the Armenian Ambassador had a meeting with
the ProMexico state organizations responsible for promotion of foreign
trade.
"Asbarez," October 22 and 23, 2012
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