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Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday June 22, 2010                  Contact: Roupen Kouyoumdjian (B.Sc., M.Sc.) 
  
 
Elections in Nagorno-Karabakh

 

Ottawa – On May 23, 2010 the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic parliamentary elections were held under the supervision of international observers. One of these observations was the “Independent Canadian- British Monitoring Observers”. The report of this body read “The observations conducted by Mr. Jack Sullens (Canadian) and Margot Dunne (UK, Election day only) indicate that the Nagorno Karabakh Republic parliamentary elections held on May 23, 2010 were conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner and in accordance with the electoral law of the Nagorno Karabakh. Based on our observations during our short-term mission, the activities of the electoral authorities, political parties and candidates during the elections were consistent with generally accepted international standards.” The report concluded that “During the day we spoke with many voters of different ages and none expressed concerns about the instructions provided at the polling stations or interference with their ability to make a free choice...Nagorno Karabakh continues to make progress in building a strong democratic republic democracy.”

Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh in Armenian) has always been part of Historic Armenia and inhabited by Armenians. In 1921 Joseph Stalin gave Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan as a gesture of conciliation to Kemal Ataturk of Turkey despite the fact that the Revolutionary Committee of Azerbaijan had already recognized that Nagorno-Karabagh was a part of neighbouring Armenia. In 1923 part of Highland Karabakh was established as the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (autonomous region) within the Azerbaijan SSR. In 1988 Armenians of Karabakh and Armenians in Armenia proper took to the streets demanding that Karabakh reunite with Armenia fearing for their security under Azeri oppression. In response, the Azeri authorities massacred thousands of Armenians in Azerbaijan proper from 1988 to 1990 (in Sumgait, Kirovabad and Baku), attacked Karabakh and continued massacring Armenians this time in Nagorno-Karabakh (such as in Maraghar in 1992). Armenians defended and the war that lasted until 1994 resulted in the establishment of a de-facto Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh following two referenda by the people of Karabakh to establish their independence.

According to Patrick Gore, a Canadian Military Historian, who examined with a neutral eye the Karabakh issue and wrote a book, Tis Some Poor Fellow's Skull: Post-Soviet Warfare in the Southern Caucasus, Karabakh has never been part of Independent Azerbaijan and its people's decision to make it independent falls under the Soviet Law for secession that was applicable for all other Soviet Republics, at the time of the referendum.

 
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The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.

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Le CNAC est l'organisation politique canadienne-arménienne la plus large et influentielle. Collaborant avec une série de bureaux, chapitres et souteneurs à travers le Canada et des organisations affiliées à travers le monde, le CNAC s'occupe activement des inquiétudes de la communauté canadienne-arménienne.

 

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