– I begin by congratulating Mr Gardetto on his excellent report, and saying that I very much welcome the presence of the Commissioner, Mr Hammarberg.

I strongly believe that the issue of human rights is one of the main cornerstones of our Organisation. It should always be on the agenda, and should be secure against any kind of manipulation. I am confident, too, that most of my colleagues share my opinion. Fundamental human rights and freedoms should be guaranteed equally in any part of the world. Civilisation, particularly in Europe, paid a very high price for establishing the supremacy of those principles and making them a reality. Unfortunately, there are places – and, I should like to underline, places within Council of Europe boundaries – where human rights are still violated. Even more regrettably, those violations are committed by Council of Europe member states. To be more precise, I shall use the illustration of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The people of Nagorno-Karabakh are deprived of many important human rights, including the right to a peaceful life and a safe existence free from threat, as well as the right to freedom of movement and communication. Because the conflict has not yet been resolved, their other fundamental rights are ignored, too. Unresolved conflict does not justify the violation of human rights. Under those conditions, it appears that a new kind of right should be established – the right to be heard by the international community, with the aim of withstanding slander. Unfortunately, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh do not have the chance to use a relevant mechanism to respond to the systematic, repeated lies and blackmail used against them. We must be aware of the intention of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to live in peaceful conditions despite the continued militaristic threat and the renewal of war by the other side.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that war propaganda is a serious violation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. That point should be considered by the European Commission of Human Rights.

In this Hemicycle, we have heard many false and clichéd statements and unfounded allegations, and the continual attempts by my Azeri colleagues to misinform the Assembly will not contribute to respect for human rights and the settlement of the conflict. On the Armenian side, and in Nagorno-Karabakh too, we are open to human rights missions from reputable organisations, including the Parliamentary Assembly. The Azerbaijani side regularly delays the accomplishment of such missions. For example, I want to mention the failures of the mission led by the Rapporteur of the Sub-Committee on Cultural Heritage, Mr O’Hara, and of the mission led by Lord Russell-Johnston. That merits the attention of, and a relevant reaction by, the Assembly.

I congratulate Mr Gardetto on his excellent report. I want to express my full support for the activities of Commissioner Hammarberg. I also want to underline the importance of increasing his budget, which underpins the independence and productivity of his activities.

Verbatim records of October 5 session in full are available on the PACE website.